


Age of Ultron Related Black Hill

by littlesolo



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-03
Updated: 2015-08-05
Packaged: 2018-03-28 18:58:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 33
Words: 27,787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3866104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlesolo/pseuds/littlesolo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All fics here take place during or after Age of Ultron and contain spoilers!!!  Some are connected and others aren't but all are Black Hill.  Now mostly focusing on Maria and Natasha's new family with the twins.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Maria loves you, I wouldn't worry"

Clint knows Laura had it wrong.  Nat was trying to reach out and make a friend.  Trying to  _be_  a friend.  

Clint knows Natasha well enough to know she’s feeling guilty.  Banner had run, and maybe Natasha had considered it too.  

“Red Room knew what they were creating, Clint.  A living weapon.  And just like Banner created Veronica, Red Room created safe guards too.  They made us sterile.”  

“Nat–”

“Bruce caused destruction.  But Tony has a fund for that.  Some bad press, and he goes dark for a while, and it’ll blow over given that he helped save the world again.  Clint, you know what happens when I lose control.  There’s nothing but blood.  Tony kept the people safe.  I have my ledger.”  

“Nat, I’m not following, like at all” say Clint as he scratches at the side of his neck.  Whatever was going on, it was clear that Banner had done a worse head trip than anything Wanda had done.  

* * *

Talking with Clint normally helps but he doesn’t understand.  She had tried to to be a friend to Banner and in doing so, had not only nearly forgotten about Maria, but had contemplated leaving her.  

Only part of it was the head trip.  She had seen what they had made her, how they had molded and shaped her.  Ballet.  Flexibility, agility, endurance, conditioning, and structure, and those were just a few things that the lessons instilled.  There would be twenty eight of them but they had started as more.  Friendships were something that to be wary of not only due to betrayal but because any day the instructor could order you to kill them during a fight.  Can you turn a person’s arm so far behind their back that it snaps?  Exert enough pressure that their neck snaps?  The only way to know for sure is to do it.  

Natasha had learned how to assemble and disassemble at least twenty different guns before she ever fired a shot.  Hand to hand combat came first followed by ropes and knives.  

But her dream had fast forwarded from her past to a corpse.  At first Natasha had thought it was herself and a part of her was relieved.  But on closer observation she saw a strand of brunette hair through the blood that was everywhere and a lifeless blue eye from beneath an eyelid that was nearly swollen shut.  It was then that she recognized the marks.  They were Red Room methods.  The weapons had fallen from her hands and the sound of them clattering to the floor had boomed and echoed.  It had been a mixture of her ballet instructor’s voice and Bruce’s in her mind that asked her: what did she expect?  

Natasha felt guilty for having become so focused on trying to reach Banner that she had forgotten about Maria.  Had she been thinking, she would have called Maria during the jet ride to Clint’s to help get her head straight.  She also felt guilty for not giving Maria more credit.  Natasha’s first instinct had been to run to keep the dream from happening.  That seemed to Bruce’s answer to things, and he was one of the smartest people she knew.  

But Maria knew everything about her, even what wasn’t in her file, because Natasha had told her and still had never run.  

“Maria loves you, I wouldn’t worry” says Clint, breaking into her thoughts.  She knows that, but sometimes she wonders why.  

Maria curls up with her later that night and Natasha decides to ask.  

“Because as much as you considered it, you never did.  You stayed and fought and were the reason Banner did too.  You don’t give yourself enough credit, Nat.  You are brave, and strong, and courageous.  As for the other reasons, I’m make you a list in the morning if you want” says Maria as she nuzzles into Natasha’s shoulder.  “Love you, Nat.”  Natasha hugged her tight.  

"Love you, Maria."


	2. A Night Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha and Maria take Wanda for a night out to help her get adjusted and cheer her up about her brother

As a spy, no one can read people better than Natasha.  So it’s easy for her to see that despite being an Avenger and becoming part of the group, Wanda is still lonely.  And no one can read Natasha better than Maria so when Natasha proposes taking Wanda for a night out, she isn’t all that surprised.  

They wind up at a bar attached to an arcade.  With a few drinks in them and some nachos, they hit the games.  Natasha teases Maria about her skills.  At least that’s until she sees that Maria beat her old high scores.  All three of them.  Wanda gets drawn to the Star Wars pinball game.  

Wanda is doing pretty good too, and working up a good high score.  And then Natasha sees it.  The silver ball that zooms back and forth across the table and hits all the lights and bumpers, racking up points.  Whether intentionally or not, Wanda’s thoughts are of her brother.  Stealing a look at Maria, she knows she’s made the connection too.  

They can’t just pull her away from the machine, so they let her play until her two quarters are spent.  Natasha and Maria keep the few guys looking to hit on Wanda at bay, Maria staying close and Natasha luring them towards the dart board.  To yank her from the game when she’d so focused might cause her to have an emotional burst of power.  Or be really pissed.  Maria would be even without all the emotional baggage if her score was that high and someone distracted her.  But the last thing the night needed was a brawl, even if Natasha might not agree.  

Wanda had achieved the highest score ever on the machine a while ago, but once she’d exhausted all the extra turns she’d gained, Natasha gets rid of the guys by telling them that tonight was not their night.  They leave the bar seeing that Wanda seems sort of in a daze.  They’re driving around when Maria spots a miniature golf course and turns in.  

Natasha is good at most things.  Coordination, dexterity, agility, and being ambidextrous…  But the obstacles on the stupid course have her contemplating shooting them out of the way.  A shotgun would take care of that windmill.  Maria says it was Fury who took her the first time to decompress after a mission.  Wanda had never played before but seems to have no problem.  

About half way through, Natasha is really regretting that she bet Maria an order of fries that she’d win.  There are similarities to the pinball game here too, but Maria figures that the fact that they’re all playing and Natasha’s cursing is enough to distract from that.  

“Fucking hell… this isn’t skill, this is luck!  Navigating a small ball between angles and slides and little fucking loops!” gripes Natasha.  Maria just smirks at Wanda who grins back at her and proceeds to hit her ball right through the obstacle course.  It’s not a hole in one, but the hard part is out of the way.  Natasha rolls her eyes and mutters to herself.  Wanda comes in second to Maria with Natasha not even wanting to know her score.  

Before they leave, Natasha challenges Wanda to the driving game in the entry way, because she’s going to be good at  _something_  tonight.  Maria watches as they both situate themselves in the oversized seats and proceed to race.  While Natasha has her tongue poking out like a little kid as she steers the video game car that doesn’t respond to her quick reflexes quite right and has her sticking to the course, Maria watches as Wanda laughs and seems to be genuinely having a good time.  She’s had that look a few times that night and Maria’s glad.  

It’s different for Wanda and Maria recognizes that.  Natasha had grown up isolated and trained to be a weapon.  Maria had grown up having to rely on herself.  Then they had other agents like Fitz and Simmons who got homesick but became friends and had each other for comfort and gradually made other friends too.  May tended to send Natasha updates as to what was happening between Skye and Simmons.  But for Wanda Maximoff, home had become her brother, and losing him was more than just an adjustment.  

Wanda had told her that he was twelve minutes older than she was and could be a brat about rubbing it in sometimes.  That he was protective of her, sometimes too much.  But Maria could see that Wanda was being protective of his memory.  She had hugged Clint so tightly when he told her his son’s name.  It was a careful balance, the memory of someone close but not letting their death devastate you, end a part of you too and hollow you out.  Wanda had thrown herself into her training and to everyone’s surprise except Maria’s, Natasha was a good teacher for her.  Natasha was patient but knew of boundaries, both mental and physical, and knew how far to push as they went.  Nat saw that Wanda had potential and was capable of more than she knew, but had to deal with her traumas before she could move forward, but she had experience with that too.  

Natasha wins the video game race and Wanda is laughing harder than ever.  

“Winner!” cheers Natasha.  

“You made two other drivers crash” says Wanda between giggles.  

“That’s their fault.  All that matters to me is that I won” says Natasha with a broad smile.  Maria shakes her head at Nat’s antics as they make their way to the car.  

Maybe next time they’ll go bowling.  


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You'll be all right, no one can hurt you now."

She can’t stop shaking and it’s driving her nuts.  Natasha is holding her it offers more comfort than she had expected.  Nat’s hold is gentle but firm enough for her to know that she’s there for her, yet not confining.  

It was supposed to be simple.  An in and out mission.  She’d been sent in with Barton and Wanda as back up so maybe she’d let her guard down a little but she was always pragmatic and prepared for a worst case scenario.  Running into Coulson’s mess of a team and having them knock Wanda out was unexpected, and had left her unprepared to fight against the Inhuman enemy that had come with the ones they were supposed to meet.  The meeting was lost at the sight of Coulson’s team with their weapons drawn and suddenly it was an attack.  

Maria couldn’t breathe and felt her mind freeze.  Suddenly it was full of the memory of her old team mates bodies after the explosion that had killed them all.  That had nearly killed her.  Their mangled forms bleeding and smoking.  But then they shifted and they were her team mates.  Natasha, Clint, Wanda, Sam, Steve, Sharon… then she’s nearly swimming in their blood.  Drowning in their blood.   _Can’t breathe_.  It tastes coppery in mouth but some part of her reminds her that that’s the adrenaline and not blood she’s tasting.  Then what ever hold on her was gone and Maria sees the body fall with an arrow in their forehead.  Gasping, she draws her gun and makes her way to Wanda’s side.  One of Coulson’s team is poised to shoot the collapsed girl and Maria has her gun pointed at them, she can’t quite register their face yet, her mind still hazy, but no one will harm her team.  Melinda’s hand rests on Lance Hunter’s arm and tells him to stand down.  

She lets Clint carry the girl and glares at Coulson before following Clint out without a word.  

* * *

On the jet she straps Wanda in and keeps an eye on her.  The ICER’s effects will last a while but she knows the sick feeling in her stomach won’t leave until she sees her wake up.  Maria isn’t even aware she’s shaking until Clint puts a blanket around her shoulders.  

“Cooper wants you to teach him to box, so thanks for that” says Clint with a grin.  Maria manages to coax the side of her mouth up.  

“Not my fault.  I heard him ask Steve and I guess he suggested me” answers Maria.  “What happened” she asks after a moment.  

“You collapsed and looked like you were being strangled.  The room got crowded fast with their goons and Coulson’s team so it took me a minute to get to you.  Sorry.”  Maria waives off his apology but pulls her knees to her chest.  

“We’re all okay.  That’s all that matters.”  

* * *

“You’ll be all right, no one can hurt you now” whispers Natasha in her ear as they lay in bed, their arms around each other and Maria’s shakes finally easing. 

“It’s not me I worry about” whispers Maria and Natasha leans back to look at her face but Maria is lost in thought.  

“I worry about you all charging into the thick of things of course, especially you.  But today?  Do you remember what things were like when you first joined SHIELD?”  

“You mean how no one but Nick, Clint, and you trusted me?  I knew that you were someone I could trust early on because all Hand needed was a nod from you and then she trusted me as much as you did.  The fact that both you and Clint trusted Phil made him easier to trust too.  But no one else did.  Why?”  

“Hunter was about to shoot Wanda.  Yes she was with Ultron at first, but she helped evacuate the city and destroy him.  She’s as much a hero and an Avenger as the rest of you.  

Our biggest threat isn’t HYDRA or AIM or the Inhumans, it’s each other.  Phil’s team is fracturing because no one talks to each other and because Phil had alien juice sending him messages in his head and he didn’t see his team falling apart.  I saw what Banner did to you Natasha.”  Natasha tries to look away but Maria grasps her chin gently but firmly.  “You were  _never_  a monster.  I’ve never thought that of you, ever.  You know what it is to feel monstrous and to do horrible things but Clint’s kids love their Aunt Nat, and you’re an excellent instructor to Wanda.  Bruce sees himself as nothing but the monster, he can’t see past it and you were trying to help him, show him that it was possible and he made you doubt it.  Think that maybe you were deluding yourself and  _that_ was monstrous.  

Wanda let people see their fears, but don’t you think she’s been seeing hers over and over?  Every time she thinks it can’t get worse it does.  She lost her parents.  She lost her home.  In a horrific way and then were stuck there for two days among the wreckage.  She never gets another.  She and her brother manage and get by.  Maybe she thought it was past, that the streak was over.  Then she lost her brother, the person that had been her support, her family, her everything.  She’s trying to fit in again, more alone than ever.  

When Tony and Bruce were trying to awaken Vision and Steve arrived with the twins, Steve trusted them and that should have meant something.  Bruce let his rage control him and threatened to snap her neck.  You arrived here having had run ins with a number of our agents but we didn’t let them take shots at you.  What you had was valuable and she was offering to help and did.  

To rebuild this?  The Avengers and add to them?  We have to be careful how we go about it.  Because evidently, with or without help, we’re remarkably self destructive.  Apparently, both Steve and Tony were both offended that Clint’s family was kept secret.  That was a matter of safety.  And then you have Phil and his secrets.  Secrets he keeps even from Melinda.  We will have to be very careful.”  

Natasha nods and makes a mental note to have Clint drop in on Coulson with her later and to keep an eye on Wanda.  

“Maria…” starts Natasha with a sigh as she combs her fingers through Maria’s short hair.  “You are safe with me.  We’ll figure this out, especially with you already looking out for these concerns.  I know Steve has some of his own, Coulson being one of them, and we both know that Tony and Pepper have a few.  We’ll figure this out together.  We’ll keep Wanda safe, just like you, Nick, and Clint kept me safe” says Natasha with a kiss to Maria’s temple.  Maria certainly hopes so.  But right now, the day is catching up with her and she is too tired to keep her eyes open anymore.  She nuzzles closer to Natasha as another kiss is placed on her forehead.  


	4. Attachment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [Text]Shit, don't open that. I sent that to the wrong person.

**MHil** l: Too late.  

The silence afterwards makes Natasha slightly nervous.  

 **MHill** : Who exactly did you mean to send this to?

 **NRoff** : Clint

 **MHil** l: And you confused us because we’re so close in name….

 **NRoff** : He renames himself on my phone!  He’s under “Bro”

 **MHil** l: ….

 **NRoff** : You’re under Ave Maria.  

 **NRoff** : Shut up!  It’s cute!

 **MHill** : Fine.  But it doesn’t change the fact that I just had to explain a video clip of two turtles having sex on my phone to Pepper.  

 **NRoff** : I’m at the zoo with Clint and his kids.  At the reptile house with Cooper.  Lila might not think it’s funny but Clint would.  

 **MHill** : It’s…..loud

 **NRoff** : louder in person!

 **MHill** : You’re giggling aren’t you?

 **NRoff** : It’s funny!

 **MHill** : Damn I wish I was there!  Call you later!

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It is loud. Heard it from the parking lot and had to wander the zoo to figure out what it was. Wasn’t expecting large turtles….


	5. Reckless Thoughts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wanda gets a little reckless after Pietro's death

Clint has been watching.  Natasha’s a good teacher for Wanda and she’s progressing.  Maria is in charge of the facility but makes time to look in on Wanda as well.  

But then Bruce returned.  Which was why Clint was watching.  

Natasha had gotten together with Maria, and was happier than Clint had ever seen her.  If he was being honest, it was Laura who had pointed it out to him when Maria had come up to reaffirm the security protocols for Clint’s children.  Natasha had tagged along to see the little ones and Clint had figured that a change of scenery would do Wanda some good.  

Laura had whispered “They’re better together than Nat and Bruce” in his ear after dinner while the others played with the kids.  Looking back on it, Clint could see it, Maria had always treated Nat as an equal from the very beginning. 

Wanda seemed to being doing better too.  Maria and Nat had sort of adopted the girl, but here on his farm, she enjoyed the openness and fireflies.  Lila loved that Wanda could make butterflies out of her powers and let them disintegrate harmlessly in the night air.  

* * *

Back at the facility Wanda made progress, and Natasha was careful.  Her own history had taught her that certain things had to be dealt with before moving forward.  Things like emotional trauma.  It wasn’t the sort of thing that sessions on a couch could treat, it was about realizing she had another support system.  She had Clint, Maria, and herself for support but that support didn’t mean erasing Pietro’s memory.  

But right now, Clint is watching.  He sees Maria coming down the corridor towards him but he’s too focused on what’s happening.  Bruce had arrived a few hours ago and after touching base with Tony, it looked like he was trying to apologize to Nat.  Nat didn’t look like she was having it, but probably due to the fact that she was busy with Wanda than anything else.  Natasha is walking away from him and Bruce is still talking, but Clint is paying attention to the fact that their argument seems to be effecting Wanda.  Wanda is having trouble focusing and her powers are getting brighter and flickering.  

Then there’s a blast of light that sends Bruce and Natasha reeling back and Maria and Clint are going down the stairs as fast as they can to get to them.  Clint goes to Nat’s side and Maria is at Wanda’s side.  Natasha shakes off the tumble and goes to Wanda’s side as well.  Wanda is clutching at her head and Clint picks her up.  

“Medical?”  

“No.  Get her to a car.  We’ll go for a drive.  Let her clear her head” says Maria as she follows close behind.  “We’re still friends, Bruce.  But we’ll deal with …whatever this is later, Maria and Wanda need me” says Natasha before she takes off after them.  Bruce simply watches as the others head towards the motor pool.  


	6. Mental Meltdown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'Wanda honey, it's okay, just put the gun down and we can talk about this' -basically please give me Wanda Maximoff angst with a side of BlackHill because there is not enough of it in existence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Possible suicide triggers.

Everyone is curious about her powers.  They seem to forget that she hadn’t grown up with them and understood them about as much as anyone else did.  Which is to say not well at all.  

She’s gotten close to Natasha and Maria over the past few months.  Natasha was one of the ones helping her learn about her powers in addition to training her to fight.  Maria didn’t treat her like an Avenger in training or whatever she was, more like a child.  Maria would be there to remind her to eat and get some sleep.  The only reason wasn’t offended was because Maria treated Natasha the same way.  

It was going well, her whole adjustment to becoming an Avenger and being part of the team.  Clint looked after her like Maria and Natasha did, but also tended to get her into trouble.  Nothing horrible, just the sort that made Maria shake her head and Natasha laugh.  Steve makes his look of disapproval, but really, she’d only mean to upset one parking meter not all of them.  But flying change is never subtle.  

But it’s the little things.  The way Natasha looks after her?  It’s how she used to take care of Pietro.  The trouble she gets into with Clint?  Exactly the type that would make him giggle that mischievous little giggle of his.  Maria’s a bit more subtle in her methods but she’s always looking out for her.  But she also trusts her when Wanda says she can handle it.  It reminds her of the way her brother always looked after her and the very last time she saw him.  

All these little things build up and while Wanda focuses on her training and figuring out the balance to her new life, there is still that emptiness.  She hadn’t seen the bullets hit him, but she’d felt him disappear from her mind.  It was odd, but until that moment she hadn’t realized his presence there.  Even when they were in their cells, she had felt him, running, bouncing, ricocheting off the walls of his cell.  She had thought it was just part of them being twins, and maybe that is all it was, but she can’t help noticing that it’s missing now.  

Capt- Steve, or as she sometimes calls him, Captain Flashback, has her train with Dr. Banner to try and settle her mind.  She apologized to him, and whether or not he accepted it, he seems to sense that she’s having trouble and helps her as best he can.  Wanda understands anger and fear but lately all she feels is overwhelmed.  

Her mind is so scattered now that it won’t settle.  She tries to hide it, but sometimes she pulls memories, thoughts, emotions, from those around her.  Natasha knows and so does Maria and neither hold it against her, despite Natasha’s memories being of her past, one that the assassin would like to forget herself.  Thankfully, when it happens the person she’s taking it from doesn’t experience it.  Natasha had guessed what was happening due to the haunted look on her face, having worn it before herself.  Natasha doesn’t ask her questions about how it happened, the tests, if there was pain, but is always there and willing to listen.  Natasha told her of how having Clint and Maria, people who would listen and support her helped and how it had taken her a while to realize that.  She had initially brushed it off, finding the words hollow.  At least until she saw some of Natasha’s memories of her training.  Then she tried to give the Black Widow a wide berth, not wanting to be the cause of her reliving such horrors.  Or having that be all that was associated with her when Natasha saw her.  But Natasha wouldn’t let her go.  Told her she saw potential in her but that she was also more than just her abilities.  

That lesson was taught to her by Maria.  Maria told her how that at some point there would be someone who would either be immune to her powers or be able to fight against them.  Which was why she had to learn self defense.  Knowing of Maria’s status, Second in Command and the right hand to Nick Fury, she had expected to be handed off to someone else.  Sam had offered at one point, but it was Maria herself who took to instructing her.  Natasha and Clint would also help train her when Maria was unable to be there herself.  It wasn’t as if Pietro had been her protector.  He’d taught her to fight some as well.   _In case I can’t get there fast enough_  he’d say with a laugh.  Maria said it was clear she had some skill, and agility having been taught by her brother to always be fast, but she wanted to get her to fight less like a brawler and more precise.  It also helped focus and settle her mind, a point of focus and concentrating on striking without using her powers.  But there were still times where she was too tired to spar or train and her mind was still a mess.  

For instance, she didn’t know the details, but she knew Dr. Banner was trying to repair his relationship with Natasha.  The amount of regret and guilt that came off him in waves was overwhelming, much like his distaste for her had been at first.  Maria always has things rotating in her mind, plans and contingencies, it’s so busy but when she’s with Natasha it calms.  She feels most settled and clear when she is with Maria and Natasha, the love they for each other almost palpable, even if they haven’t let each other know the full extent of their feelings yet.  It’s like a cocoon of warmth and unconditional love, built on respect and trust and happiness.  At first it had been too much for her mind, making her want to cry at first for the way it–wasn’t the same, but similar to the sensation of her brother’s presence in her mind.  They’d always had each other, and Wanda knew that Maria would be for Natasha, even if Natasha was still unsure and that Natasha would be there for Maria as well.  

Natasha’s mind was also usually calm.  So was Clint’s, but with Natasha there was a comfortable silence that accompanied the one in her mind.  There was no need for chatter, just peace.  Natasha understood more than most of her ordeal.  It wasn’t a look of sympathy that she gave her, but of understanding, when Wanda told her of what seemed like weeks of nothing but screaming in her cell when her powers formed and were being developed.  Pietro had nearly gone mad trying to get to her, trying to break down the wall between their cells, only stopping when he was restrained or had either given himself a concussion or damaged himself in his efforts.  He healed nearly as quickly as he ran, but his voice yelling for her echoed in her mind with the continuous  _thump_  of him against the wall and had only added to the mania in her mind.  It was actually how he discovered his ability.  Ramming into the wall, gaining momentum and speed.  They moved them to different cells then and made hers soundproof for a time.  Natasha understands that madness.  Not in the same way, but it’s an understanding.  Natasha has her own demons.  Her ledger.  The first few names in it and how they came to be.  Despite all their training, pulling the trigger out in the world, on an actual assignment, was different than shooting some hooded figure in an exercise.  

* * *

Which is why she supposes it should really come as no surprise when it’s Natasha that finds her first.  In all honesty, Wanda doesn’t remember picking up the gun, it feels heavy but cool in her hand.  She’s so tired.  Tired of the memories that creep up on her at the most random moments, the thoughts that aren’t hers, the emotions that go with them.  Regret from Dr. Banner when he thinks of Natasha.  In a sense of what could have been, and it makes her wonder what Pietro would say if he were here.  If they were doing this together. _Could add some color_ , he would say, of the gray walled facility.  There would be streaks of paint in hallways and rooms painted horribly bold shades that would make Maria want to pull out her hair, all Pietro’s doing.  She could see it and picture his smirk and him standing there, meeting Maria’s glare with a grin and a paint brush.  It makes her want to laugh but it comes out a sob.  Thoughts of loss from Steve about a missing friend.  Someone he sees as a brother.  That he should have done something.  It makes Wanda think if there is something she could have done.  Some way that her brother could have survived had she picked left instead of right.  Not in terms of Ultron or the battle, but how it all really began, with them protesting.  It was how HYDRA found them.  They’d volunteered because they had wanted to be part of something, something that mattered and actually changed things.  They knew the stories, Iron Man had come from the caves to defend those villages and people.  But the same man that built that suit, and defended others, had wrecked their world.  They had wanted to protect others from that, the image of the Stark Industries shell imprinted on their minds, having watched it, curled around each other for two days.  She now knew Stark wasn’t that same man.  That he did save people and didn’t make or sell weapons anymore.  She also knew that if Pietro were here, he’d challenge Tony Stark to a race in his suit.  

This chaos though, these thoughts, are what have her in this open field, about ten miles from the facility.  Some part of her remembers running part of the way, simply trying to concentrate on the sound of her feet and her breathing.  She still doesn’t know when she picked up the weapon.  But that’s not what it looks like to her right now, it looks like silence and feels cool against her head.  

Natasha must have sensed something was off since she’s there first, followed by Clint and Maria in jeep.  Natasha must have sent for them once she saw the gun.  Steve and Bruce are there too from a different vehicle and Sam descends from the sky.  She’s simply too overwhelmed by them all and can’t help the wave that peels off of her, her powers sending a red wave throwing everyone backwards.  The jeep rolls over on it’s side and the windows are crushed as it crumples.  Steve blocks it as best he can with his shield, but is stunned like the rest from the blow.  Banner looks ready to change in an effort to settle her.  She wishes him luck.  

But Maria and Natasha are still close.  They must have ducked and hit the ground for cover, the wave going over them.  Clint is not far behind, having rolled with the blow.  

“Wanda honey, it’s okay, just put the gun down and we can talk about this” says Maria as she approaches.  Natasha is coming at her too from the other side, but she doesn’t want to talk, she just wants it all to stop.  All the noise, the chaos, the frantic thoughts, all that they can’t hear but plays constantly in her mind.  All that, along with Pietro’s voice at times.  

She doesn’t expect it.  She’s not sure what she expected, maybe a needle with a tranquilizer or a taser, but not a hug.  Maria reaches her first and doesn’t grab for the weapon but instead wraps her arms around her in a tight but loving hug.  It’s not confining and all she feels is warmth.  And calm.  The gun falls from her fingers to the grass and dirt and she feels her knees give out.  Natasha’s at her side and rubbing her back as she kisses her temple.  She only cries harder into Maria’s shoulder.

 _You idiot.  You would leave this?  This new family?  Isn’t that what we always wanted?  Yes, we had each other, but those years in orphanages, didn’t we wish for another family to take us?  Love us?  You have that now!  You found it!  Search over and we start new adventure!  Two in one, family **and**  adventure!  You are an  **Avenger**  now!_  Pietro’s voice in her head is so clear in her mind.  He’s right, and if he were here, he would give her that smug look of his that says  _of course I’m right.  I’m twelve minutes older, you know_.  But he isn’t.  

She doesn’t remember getting back to the facility, but she’s in the lounge wrapped in a blanket and with Maria and Natasha still at her side while Clint calls his wife and asks if she’d mind it they use the guest house.  Apparently, he has a farm and thinks it’s the perfect place for her to clear her head for a bit and Maria and Natasha are coming too.  

Pietro isn’t here.  But she will have this adventure for the both of them.  With her family.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This got a bit more in depth than expected. I have a type of anxiety where if it gets to be too much (in addition to panic and anxiety attacks) I hallucinate. I also have had what is like a radio in my head for some fifteen plus years now? It doesn't tell me what to do, not like voices just music. Anyway, my point being- I can relate to chaos in the mind and kind of went with that. Sorry if it kind of got away from me a bit. Side note- I'm not suicidal or anything just trying to meet the prompt


	7. Happy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While surrounded by the Avengers in the farmhouse kitchen, Lila Barton asks "Auntie Nat, when are you and Aunt Maria getting married?" (Clint is the only Avenger who knows they are secretly dating)

“Auntie Nat, when are you and Aunt Maria getting married?”  

The question is asked by little Lila Barton.  Laura nearly chokes on her sandwich.  

Clint smirks and continues to eat until Laura elbows him in his side.  Then he notices that the others have completely baffled looks on their faces.  He steals a glance at Natasha and sees that she’s gone almost rigid and all her walls are up.  Christ, she hasn’t looked like since the first time he brought her around to meet his family.  

Cooper is currently outside with Steve and Tony, having finished eating already, but Bruce is cleaning up his dishes.  He turns and grins at Natasha, but the look fades when he sees Nat’s face.  Clint knows that ever since they’d started hanging around each other more, Natasha had been making an effort to befriend everyone.  It looked like the Doctor had thought there was more to it than that.  The only one unaware of the sudden tension in the room is Lila, who is still sitting on Nat’s lap.  

* * *

No one knew how far Natasha had come better than Clint except possibly Fury and Hill.  When it came to missions and objectives and analysis, Natasha could do that, but she’d been trained to rely on no one but herself so she didn’t trust easily.  The other agents picked up on this and along with her reputation, tended to not trust her either.  He’d brought her to the farm to get her away from that atmosphere, to give her a chance to relax.  Unfortunately, it only seemed to make things worse.  

At the time, Lila was still a baby and Cooper was about four or five years old.  Laura never thought there was anything other than sibling type relationship between them, and for that Clint was grateful.  The rumors at SHIELD didn’t bother him, but had Laura believed otherwise, he would have worried for Natasha since he was the only one she trusted.  

At a point during her stay though, Natasha wanted to make sure Laura knew that though.  Nobody can wear masks like Natasha.  Even after knowing her for so long, there are times she still surprises him.  Which is why it surprised him that she was so determined that Laura understand.  Back on the Carrier, the rumors and gossip about the two of them didn’t seem to get to her.  He realizes now, that it probably didn’t then, but now, faced with his wife and children, a functioning family, she didn’t want there to be any suspicion.  

 _I’m not…trying.  I’m not anyone.  I’m not **being**  anyone.  But he listens…and it…helps._  He hadn’t meant to eavesdrop.  He was actually about to come downstairs with Lila after having changed her, when he heard Nat try to explain it all to Laura.  Laura had simple told her that she believed her.  Not him, but her.  He knew she believed him too, but the wording meant all the difference and you could see Natasha lose some of her tenseness.  

The next hurdle had been Cooper.  Cooper had skinned his knee some how, and Natasha was closest.  Clint supposes that his kids get their rambunctiousness from him, so while it wasn’t bad, it was probably just the blood that had him worked up to tears.  Natasha had cleaned an bandaged the wound, and said all the right things.  She told him he’d be better in no time, things like that, but Clint heard it.  It was a cover voice.  The voice of the Stay at Home Mom, the Soccer Mom, the Bake Sale Mom.  

Laura had handed Lila to Natasha while she ran to the bathroom.  Clint came into the room to see Natasha holding her carefully but looking absolutely petrified.  

“Take her”  

“You got ‘er.  You were good with Cooper before.  You’re fine”

“Clint, this is your  _baby **girl**_.   _ **Take her!**_ ”  

It was then that he realized she didn’t trust herself either.  At least not entirely.  Not enough to trust herself with an innocent baby girl.  She had told him of her past, of how she’d grown up, the routines, the conditioning.  But this wasn’t the first time he’d seen her with children.  They’ve dealt with them before, sometimes as a protective detail in transport or rescue.  But it was hard to erase all that fear.  To look at her now though.  She’d walked in his front door, still leaning on him after an epic mind fuck, but at the sound of his kids racing towards her, she’d scooped them into a hug without hesitation.  

* * *

Clint had always liked Maria.  Fury leads and Clint trusts him to get the job done but speaks in riddles that aren’t fun.  Maria gives them what ever answers she can.  Don’t get Clint wrong, he liked Phil, but he’s off thinking he’s Director and doing things.  Even when he wasn’t though, as a handler he seemed to think that missions would always go wrong somewhere along the line.  It could be bad intel, old maps, informants that didn’t show, or just a set up.  But when Maria acted as their handler the biggest problem they dealt with was turbulence.  

It was Laura that had clued him into the fact that the two were dating.  Maria had been to the farm a few times, since she was the one who handled the paper work that protected the kids.  The last time it was apparently pretty obvious that they were a couple, but Clint maintains that Laura’s always insightful.  The kids love Maria.  Cooper wants her to teach him to box as badly as Lila wants Nat to teach her to dance.  

He hadn’t really noticed Natasha hanging out more with Maria.  With Maria now working for Stark, they see a lot more of her.  Well that’s was before she was in charge of the new facility, but since they help train the new Avengers there, it’s not surprising that they all share meals now.  Maria and Nat have practically become surrogate parents to the Maximoffs.  They tend to deal more with Wanda since Nat’s her trainer.  He got stuck with the brother.  He actually likes Pietro, but he doesn’t plan on telling the kid that anytime soon.  It’s not just the fact that the kid saved his life and nearly died doing it, the kid’s smart.  Crafty.  And has a urge for mischief that could be fun, once it isn’t aimed at him anymore.  

Nothing makes Nat shut down faster than questions about her past.  Maria had trusted her before he did.  Seemed to understand Nat better too, but he figured that was due to the fact that Maria had been the one to track her.  Maybe Maria had seen what he did, someone at their end who didn’t wan to be there but didn’t know where else to go.  

The reprogramming had been Phil’s job.  Phil’s always taken great pride in his work, takes his job very seriously, and can empathize well with anyone.  But he didn’t see her nightmares, didn’t see her shake, didn’t see her wake still trapped in them.  He’d nearly been killed once when he tried to put his arms around her when she woke up once, pale and shaking.  Except she wasn’t awake yet and didn’t know it was him.  Nat told him that they’d started seeing each other a few weeks before New York, which means that Maria has undoubtably seen Nat have a bad night.  His respect for the Commander grows since not only are they still together but Natasha’s seemed…happy.  Well, at least in between New York and SHIELD’s fall, and now all this.  

But Nat’s been happy, really happy with Maria, and no matter what Banner thought was going on, Hulk or no, Clint will go after him if he messes with that.  


	8. Mommed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wanda living with Maria and Natasha and becoming comfortable with them sort of parenting her. She's having a bad/busy day and forgets to eat. When Natasha and Maria find out they reprimand her. Wanda gets frustrated and snaps at one of them but accidentally calls her 'mom'.

Bruce is adjusting.  Since coming back, the hardest part hasn’t been fixing things with Natasha.  They agreed that they work better as friends.  No the hardest part is getting used to the fact that the Maximoffs are around constantly, especially Wanda.  But he’s working on it.  

Bruce’s history with Wanda had resulted in a screaming match when he’d first arrived.  He didn’t trust her especially with how she was able to unleash the monster so easily.  “ _Like a missile?!_ ” she’d shot back before stomping off.  Tony met his gaze briefly before returning to the lab but it had been Maria who had explained the twin’s history to him.  

“Yet, both are working with of us fine, and Wanda has been helping Tony in finding out more about her powers and how they work and effect her.  Point being, most of us have grudges we can hold but we get over them.  I suggest you do the same Doctor” and after a particularly deadly glare, had left him with his thoughts.  

Pietro was awful, Bruce had to admit that.  Mainly because Clint was made his training officer.  Both had a love of mischief and pranks and working together, the two were absolutely awful.  As an Avenger though, he was focused and dedicated and let Bruce and Tony prod at him still to make sure he’s still healing well.  

Since being paired together though, Clint and Pietro have been on the move a lot.  What Bruce has been getting used to is Natasha and Maria having all but adopted the twins.  

For instance, recently Wanda has been having trouble with her powers and it has been keeping her distracted.  Both Natasha and Tony believe that Wanda is only skimming the surface of her abilities.  Wanda was initially thrilled to learn this, to get a better hold on these powers that were still new to her.  

Now though, she really doesn’t fucking care.  

Now things float around her, her head hurts, and things like televisions, monitors, and music turn on due to her powers without her doing anything.  Given Tony and Pietro’s taste in music, it’s a miracle that Wanda hasn’t taken one of Nat’s guns and shot every ipod in the facility.  

Natasha and Maria have picked up on this, having taken to looking after the twins.  Natasha had started by setting a yogurt in front of Wanda after realizing that she had probably skipped breakfast that morning.  She set a cheeseburger in front of her at lunch.  Not the healthiest, but Wanda loved them.  However, Wanda pushed the wrapped meal away.  

“Not hungry.  My head just hurts” mutters Wanda as she rests her head on her arms.  

“It hurts because haven’t eaten anything” says Maria later when she cuts up an apple and pushes pieces in front of her.  Wanda glares at Maria but Maria just looks back at her, eyebrow arched and cutting up an apple for herself.  It should be noted that although the facility has a kitchen, it’s not like Maria is sitting there using a kitchen knife to cut up fruit.  In all honesty, Bruce knows that the folding knife she’s using was either her own selection or a gift from Natasha and that in itself is threat enough.  Wanda couldn’t care less.  Given that they discovered they don’t need “Sundown” anymore, that Wanda using her powers to pick up the big guy and tell him to “Calm down” works too, it’ll take more than a knife to scare her.  But it’s more of a sign that Maria is serious and for the others not to butt in.  

Wanda has gotten tired of it all though and makes her way towards the stairs, leaving the apple pieces on the table and turning her back on Maria.

“God!  All day, you and Natasha have been on my case!  Back off, Mom!”

Realizing what she just said, Wanda pauses on the stairs, her face going as red as her powers.  Bruce stops what he’s doing as a small grin works it’s way on to his face.  

“ _Did Hill just get Mommed??_ ” 

Of course Tony is here.  Maria will never live this down.  

“Oh for the love of-” mutters Wanda.  Bruce looks over at Maria to see her failing at suppressing a smile.  She’s trying though, just in case Wanda looks back at her.  

“Hey Maximoff!  If Hill and Romanoff are Moms, what am I?” asks Tony.  

“The Uncle we commit to a home” growls Wanda as she walks past him.  Bruce also notices Natasha watching from one of Clint’s usual perches.  Wonder if Wanda knows she heard it too…


	9. Figuring Things Out: Upsets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Maximoff twins act differently when they're upset. Sometimes Pietro needs to be cuddled so he can listen to a steady heartbeat. Sometimes Wanda needs someone to yell at her for shutting down/acting out before she can admit that she's upset. What they both need is Maria and Natasha.

Figuring out the twins has been an experience.  No one knows them better than each other and in ways that not even they fully understand.  Maria and Natasha have always been able to adapt though.  What’s interesting though is the twins discovering that when they are upset, it’s not each other that they always look for, but sometimes Maria or Natasha.  

Wanda is used to dealing with her emotions in shouting matches with Pietro.  It’s just how it’s always been since he’s the only one able to call her on her actions.  Yelling and shouting isn’t Natasha or Maria’s normal style though.  Unless they’d gotten hurt.  Then all bets were off.  

She knew Banner was trying to help her with her abilities, to help her learn to keep them from overwhelming her but had gotten frustrated.  He was so calm and patient and it was aggravating.  It wasn’t like she wanted to trigger the Hulk, but she couldn’t do what he was asking and his continual calm requests made her only want to shove back hard.  She  _couldn’t_  clear her mind, that’s why she was seeking his help, so why would he think that simply asking her to would do the trick?!  It had resulted in her tossing a box of tools off the work table.  Which had Natasha walking in and dragging her out of the room and out into the corridor.  

“Explain”

“I can’t do what he’s asking and he just keeps asking!” growls Wanda as she runs a hand through her hair and paces.  

“But this isn’t about Banner and what he’s asking, is it?” questions Natasha, her voice low and even.  Wanda turns and gives her an incredulous look as if to ask ‘what else would it be about?’  Natasha uncrosses her arms and sits on a bench and waits.  Eventually, Wanda breaks down and tells her that it’s all hard.  Her powers are growing to be a bigger part of her and something simple like just focusing on her breathing is difficult because everything is spiraling in her mind at once.  She’s afraid to clear her mind.  She compares it to Maria, which makes Natasha pull a face being totally confused.  

“If Maria was to just suddenly disappear for a week or even a day without someone being able to take over for her, SHIELD and the Avengers would die.” 

“They wouldn’t d-”  Wanda raises an eyebrow and gives her a look.  “Okay, it might die.  But how is that relevant?” amends Natasha.  

“Because Maria keeps so much stuff running, and there’s stuff that isn’t even written down or recorded for someone to follow-!”  

“Like what?” interjects Natasha again.  

“Like making sure she and Pepper have lunch once a week, not for business but to make sure they don’t go crazy at work.  Making sure Bruce has lab time without Tony.  Making sure that while the techs can create new arrow for Clint, they don’t actually replace them without his approval, that kind of thing.  If I clear my head?  Will I be able to feel Pietro still?  Be able to get a hold of my powers with the same grasp I have right now?  I don’t have a Hulk in my head to help me wrangle it all again!  I can’t just let go and clear it!” explains Wanda, her voice getting steadily louder as she gets worked up and begins to panic.  

“No one is asking you to let go entirely, but I understand why you’re scared-” starts Natasha as she pulls Wanda to sit next to her, despite Wanda’s doubtful look.  “It’s like when I first came to SHIELD and was asked to spar.  I had lived as an assassin for decades.  I didn’t spar, if I fought it was with the intent to kill. I had to struggle to adjust.  There were very few people who trusted me and I didn’t want to prove them right by letting myself fight to my ability only to have someone get killed.  I was also trying to prove to myself that I could be more than just a weapon.  It’s hard to find that balance and figure things out.  But keep in mind that Bruce knows the dangers too.  There was probably a time where he thought that if he cleared his mind for a moment, the Hulk would emerge.  He knows what he’s asking, but maybe you should ask him for help how” says Natasha.  After a few moments, Wanda nodded and went back into the lab to try again.  

Bruce shared a look with Natasha, who nodded at him before disappearing again.  

* * *

Pietro was doing well with Clint and Steve, but after an attack turned rescue at a HYDRA lab, he finds himself waiting outside of Maria’s office for when she had a free moment.  When he is allowed in, he sits quietly for a few moments and Maria patiently waits.  

“We- ah- Wanda and I.  We volunteered.  We wanted to fight.  Soldiers and police, we were used to them and the way we were all treated, but then we were asked if we wanted to fight back.  We did and that’s how we got our powers.  But the children at the facility we rescued… they were taken.  There was a boy.  Stark says he can cure the viral effects of what they did to him, what they injected him with, he can fix that.  But Charlie, the boy… lost his leg when they tried to duplicate what they did to me.  His body couldn’t take it.”  Pietro sits, shifting his feet against the carpet.  His thighs still burn and his legs are tired from having pushed himself, but seeing Charlie with his leg cut off above the knee… the image is burned into his mind.  Tony hadn’t wanted to tell him what had been done to the boy, but Pietro had pushed.  

“SHIELD works to keep people safe from HYDRA.  You and your sister were extremely lucky, but I understand your reasons.”  Pietro hadn’t met her eyes since entering but does so hesitantly at her comment.  She smiles gently at him.  “Everyone has their demons.  We’ve had… a number of set backs, some of which have been our own doing, but we’re still trying.  With you and your sister here, we stand an even better chance.  I know that doesn’t help much, that it just sounds like words but we can’t help what’s already been done.  You should know that you’ve helped Charlie from undergoing more experimentation at HYDRA’s hand.  That in addition to helping get them healthy again, we are working to reunite all those rescued with their families.  Stark can work on a prosthetic for the boy that accommodates him” explains Maria as she comes from around her desk and sits in the chair next to his after scooting it closer.  

“But-”

“It’s not your fault.”  

“But it was my ability!” argues Pietro as he angrily swipes at his eyes with his hand.  

“That you received by chance from Loki’s scepter.  If they had’t had blood samples from you and data, they simply would have picked a different experiment to use on him.  I’m not just saying this to make you feel better, we’ve seen it before.  What might help, both you and the others, is visiting them to see how they’re doing.  But it wasn’t your fault and you’re doing everything you can to keep it from happening again, we all are.  You are making a difference Pietro” soothes Maria as she pulls him into a hug.  He rests his head above her heart with his arms around her, and Maria feels as if she’s seeing the boy that wanted to protect his sister and help others.  He was hot headed, and impulsive, but he always meant well, but right now he seemed smaller and unsure, his usual bluster missing.  Maria combed her fingers through his hair and felt him gradually relax.  After a few minutes he gives her a light squeeze and leaves after giving her a small smile.  

The visit had been unexpected, but for Maria there was an odd sense of history repeating itself.  Years ago, it had been Natasha who came to her office and left silently.  She’d never allowed Maria to hug her, whether it was due to trust or simply that she thought it wasn’t proper due to rank, she wasn’t sure but she knew that Natasha left feeling somewhat better.  Or at least that’s what Clint would mention once in passing.  She hoped the same held true for the speedy Maximoff.  


	10. Bunkers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: PTSD is a bitch

They are helping Coulson’s team.  Well, they were.  Now they’re just waiting to be cleared by the medical team.  It had been a simple retrieval with things expected to get out of hand, so Clint and Steve had sent them.  

It’s a bunker and that’s the first problem.  All the various medical equipment is also making him antsy.  Clint had told them to trust Bobbi, so if he wasn’t by Wanda’s side, he was by hers.  Her ex-husband is a piece of work, trying to seem intimidating.  As if he hadn’t noticed that Bobbi was with the girl doctor now.  He doesn’t remember the doctor’s but she’s off gathering medical supplies and that isn’t helping him breathe easier.  

It had been his fault.  He blames himself for all of it.  The protest had been something they were both passionate about, but Wanda had been unsure when it came to being volunteers.  He had told her to be strong, that they’d be able to fight.  The medical test, those were easy.  It was when they started to realize there were fewer.  They had started in a group of about twenty, Wanda making friends with one of the other girls.  But then some went missing and then her friend didn’t show.  It was just them.  Dr. List told them that they were the only ones to survive.  That would have been scary enough, but then their bodies began to change too.  Wanda’s mind was driving her mad and her screams echoing in the bunker cells.  The rock walls not giving an inch when he threw himself against them to try and get to her.  They had moved them from the metal cells when Pietro’s speed abilities let him break through the wall, the metal beginning to bend and give under the force of him using himself as a battering ram of sorts.  

They still don’t know everything about themselves.  He’s the only one who knows how many times Wanda hurt herself accidentally while figuring out her powers, or passed out due to how bad they made her head hurt.  How many times his legs hurt from being confined to a small cell, bouncing around like a rubber ball.  Bruce and Tony were trying to help them find out more but anything medical made him nervous.  

This bunker is too familiar.  He’s lost track of Wanda since she went with agent May, chatting about something.  He’s sweating and there are pinprick like feelings all over his skin.  Clint said to trust Bobbi and Natasha said she was nice, but Coulson is talking about indexing and tests and all of a sudden he’s finding it hard to see this place different from the HYDRA lab they’d stayed in.  

“If you’re ready, Pietro?” asks the small British scientist.  

And then he’s gone.  

* * *

Bobbi finds him outside the entrance, gasping for breath.  She doesn’t say anything, just waits.  She used to have panic attacks and remembers how when she was having one, she’d always wanted to shoot the people who told her to take deep breaths.  She could also tell him about past experiences, but has a feeling that he has his own war stories.  He might have just joined the Avengers, but given the little Clint had told her about them, they’d had more than their share of trauma.  So she just stays and silently offers her support.  She gives him a few more minutes after his breathing starts to even out.  

“So does Stark make you special shoes, or would like Converse do the trick as well as a set of Nike’s?” asks Bobbi.  It gets him to look at her before laughing a little.  

“Any shoe, I might just need more of them” he answers.  

Bobbi talks Jemma into drawing his blood outside and while that’s being done, Maria shows up.  

“Assistant Director Hill” stammers Jemma.  

“Maria is fine Jemma.  Heard everything went fine?” asks Maria, getting a nod from Bobbi.  

“You coming to check on us like lost ducks?” asks Pietro with a smirk.  

“Not quite, Clint and Natasha were going to be your ride, but they were called away on some other disaster.”  

“I thought that was supposed to be kiddie problem” asks Wanda as she walks out with May.  

“Two refinery explosions later…we sent Clint and Nat just in case” replies Maria with a shrug.  “You guys set?”  Maria is a comforting presence, and Pietro is betting that Bobbi might have had something to do with her showing up but he’s grateful.  The look that Maria gives him later lets him know that she’s there if he wants to talk.  He keeps having to remind himself that his family has grown since coming to the Avengers, and it looks like he can add Bobbi and her girlfriend to people he can trust.  Seeing Wanda sitting across from him, passed out in her seat, he remembers that they are safe, and leans back to get some sleep himself.  


	11. Random Acts of Kindness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'I'm just saying that when they get home they're definitely going to notice that we brought an infant back with us!' Wanda and Pietro's first time in the field without any of the other avengers didn't exactly go as planned.

Wanda was pretty sure they did the right thing in taking the baby from the rubble, but due to their own experience, they didn’t trust Agent Coulson when he said he’d make sure it was taken care of.  

Calling the baby an “it” settled it for them.  It had probably been due to the fact that the infant had been wrapped in Wanda’s jacket and shirt that her gender hadn’t been clear, but that was enough to make the twins disappear.  

“They’re going to notice” says Wanda again as she paces.  Now that they were waiting in Natasha and Maria’s apartment, she was realizing how poorly their plan was thought out.  

“Notice what?” asks Maria from the front door, and it nearly has Wanda jumping out of her skin.  “And would this have anything to do with a missing bab- yes it does” sighs Maria spotting the little one over with Pietro.  

“Why bring her here?” asks Natasha as she goes to sit on the floor with Pietro and the baby.  

“You have cartoons and Coulson would never break into your home” states Pietro as he lifts the baby above his head and makes faces at her.  “Her name is Serena, her baby blanket said so” he states as he lets the girl see Natasha.  Serena’s little face lights up and she crawls her way over towards Natasha when he puts her back down on the blanket.  

Maria has her phone out and is already talking to Phil.  “Found them.  Yes, they’re all fine.  No, no.  No, we’ll handle it from here.  There’s nothing to suggest the baby needs to be indexed.  I’ll talk to Banner once the blood tests come back- Then we’ll take her to him, but we’ll take care of it from here.”  It didn’t seem like Coulson was done talking, but Maria was given that she’d hung up on him.  “Where’d all the baby stuff come from?”

“We bought it” answers Wanda with a shrug.  “We have money now.”  

“That’s not what I- How’d you know what to get?” asks Maria as she and Wanda come closer to the others.  Baby Serena is a little brown haired and blue eyed girl, who gives a sideways grin to everyone she likes.  

“There were babies sometimes in the orphanages.  Everyone helps a little” explains Pietro Natasha wiggles her fingers at Serena.  She has one heck of a grip and pulls on Natasha’s hand.  

“What will happen to her now?” asks Wanda, her arms crossed in a manner that she probably picked up from Nat, thinks Maria.  

“Now we get her checked out by Banner to make sure she wasn’t exposed to anything, but then she gets adopted” answers Maria.  “Did you two give her a bath?”

“Coulson told one of the others to do it.  We gave her one in the sink” replies Wanda.  

“With her rubber ducky” adds Pietro.  Maria and Natasha share a look.  To watch them with the baby, you would think they’d brought home a sibling and were asking to keep her.  It was clear why the Barton children loved to play with them best.  The baby slept in Wanda’s arms while Pietro packed the child’s few belongings.  Natasha could understand the impulse.  While she had never seen herself as overly maternal (no matter what Clint, Laura, and Maria said) she wouldn’t have wanted to leave the infant to the system.  With the experience that the Maximoffs had had she can see why they hadn’t simply trusted the baby to Coulson’s care.  Then there was the fact that the last stray that Coulson and his team picked up wound up becoming a member of the crew.  Serena was still a little young for all that.  

Wanda held her the entire time Bruce did his tests and Pietro made faces to distract her when she drew blood, but when they had to give up the baby, the best Maria could do was make sure she wound up in a good home.  Both Wanda and Pietro knew it was probably the last time they’d see the little girl, but Maria figured that there’d be a lasting memory for the girl, even if it was her looking back at a favorite toy or blanket from a stranger.  

It was one of the harder parts of being an Avenger or SHIELD agent, so that night they went out.  Somehow, the twins had become a part of Natasha and her life and it was hard to imagine it without their bit of added chaos.  She’d deal with Phil in the morning.  


	12. Night Terrors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Can you please write me some angst that turns into fluff involving Martasha and Wanda? (Idk maybe nightmares or something)

There is a pounding at their door.  On a night when neither of them are on call.  Natasha is going to kill someone.  

Scooting as carefully as possible, as to not wake Maria, Natasha makes her way towards the door.  She grabs Maria’s robe on her way and it drags behind her despite her pulling it closed and tying it shut.  Yanking open the door, she’s met with Pietro.  

“No.”  

“But-”

“No!  Call Bruce!  He’s on call for disasters tonight” growls Natasha moving to shut the door.  Pietro shoves his foot in to keep it from closing and Natasha’s glare increases.  Maria opens the door a bit more from behind her.  Looks like neither of them will be getting a good night’s sleep tonight.  

“I called him first!  Wanda threw him down the hall.  Captain Flashback too.  She’s having a nightmare” explains Pietro as he bounces on his toes.  Maria sighs as she and Natasha follow him back, shutting the door behind them.  

* * *

Entering the room, the environment begins to change.  The red hue to everything is the only sign that they’re in one of Wanda’s dreams.  Otherwise, everything looks frighteningly real.  Natasha motions for Pietro to stay out with one hand, while her other hand clasps Maria’s.  Too much of this setting reminds Natasha of her own nightmares and she hopes that a hold on Maria will help keep her grounded.  

“Wanda?  Wanda sweetie, you need to wake up” says Maria calmly.  That’s when the room shifts.  Just a little and Maria and Natasha know that they’ll have to be very careful how they go about this.  

On various pieces of lab equipment, there is a HYDRA seal that is now shifting into a SHIELD seal.  Maria mentally curses herself for letting Phil carry on.  You’d think that having an Inhuman on his team would open his eyes more, but he had wanted Wanda confined to one of his secret cells until Tony and Bruce had uncovered the secret to her powers.  His words echo through Wanda’s dream:  _She controlled the minds of everyone in a city, Maria!  Not to mention that despite an onslaught of robots, she doesn’t have a mark on her.  And that’s after compromising nearly all of the Avengers!_   

Maria had told him to shove it.  That neither Fury or Steve saw her as a threat and neither did she or Natasha.  He accused her of having her judgement clouded since she now cares for the twins.  Maria admitted that may be, but he’d only confine Wanda to a cell after going through the rest of the Avengers.  Phil had told her that wasn’t her call, and Clint had interject that, no, it wasn’t.  It was the position of the Avengers.  

But it looked like  Wanda had overheard some of it and the thought of being confined again terrified her.  

“I’m not going back” mutters Wanda, her eyes looking straight through them, still locked in her dream.  

“You know Maria and I wouldn’t let that happen.  Clint would take up arms with the other Avengers should anyone try.  You’re part of our family now, Wanda.  Both you and your brother.  No one is going to make you go anywhere you don’t want to.  But right now you have to wake up” says Natasha as she positions herself behind Wanda.  Rumor is you’re not supposed to touch someone when they’re sleep walking.  Well, this isn’t quite sleep walking, but Maria’s betting they’re only a little ways from having Wanda levitate the building.  

At the touch of Natasha’s hands on her shoulders, Wanda jerks awake, the red hue disappearing.  Pietro is at her side in a second.  

“What happened?” asks Wanda, still in a bit of a daze.  

“Nightmare” answers Maria as she combs Wanda’s hair from her face while Natasha rubs her back.  The touch of other people helping to pull her from her dream, Wanda seemed to relax.  Moving into the lounge area, Wanda helps herself to a glass of water while the others settle onto various couches.  

“Here’s as good as any” sighs Maria as she pulls the throw from the back of the couch, waiting for Natasha to snuggle into her side before letting it drape over them.  

“I’m so sorry I woke everyone” apologizes Wanda.  

“No worries.  If you weren’t having a nightmare, one of us would be” answers Natasha through a yawn.  

“So you guys are just going to sleep here?” asks Wanda.  Maria looks over at Pietro who is already passed out in the recliner.  

“Why not?  Just in case you need us.  I’m too tired to walk all the way back anyway” sighs Maria.  Wanda falls asleep on the couch across from her family, feeling safe and secure.  


	13. Growing Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maria and Natasha have a talk about the two new additions to their little family.

It’s one of the few afternoons where Maria and Natasha can share a meal in between all of their duties.  At the moment, they sit and overlook some of the new trainees run drills.  

“At some point I envisioned starting a family with you, but it hadn’t been like this” says Maria.  Natasha nearly chokes on her drink.  

“A family.  With me?” asks Natasha incredulously.  “When did this notion pop into your head?”  

“A while back, but it became something I really wanted after I saw you with Clint and Laura’s kids.  Despite any fears you might have, you’re great around kids” comments Maria around another fork full of her taco salad.  

“And now?” asks Natasha hesitantly.  She had dreamed of once having a family.  It had seemed like such a far away dream but then Clint took her to meet his and Laura welcomed her.  She became an Aunt.  And then she met Maria.  Really met her, and not the Commander or Second in Command who over saw everything, but the woman behind the uniform.  

“Now we have one.  Mostly grown but still in need of someone to look after them.  Pietro having witnessed his sister coming into her powers has only made him more protective of his sister.  That in addition to the guilt he feels for volunteering them to be test subjects.  Wanda trying to keep her brother safe since she knows how impulsive he is and how he’ll forget to look after himself when he’s trying to take care of them both.  Given how they grew up, they spend so much time looking after each other, they haven’t taken time to figure out who they are separately.”  Natasha considers all this for a few moments.  They had all but adopted the twins and Natasha knows herself to be guilty of looking after Wanda in terms of more than just her training.  

“So now we have kids.  Huh.  Well it’s not like we would have a lot of time for diaper changes and midnight feedings” comments Natasha as she leans back in her chair.  Maria hums in agreement.  

“Should you get the urge to experience it though, I’m sure Laura wouldn’t mind a night off.  Actually, we might be doing that soon seeing how much Cooper and Lila love the twins…” adds Maria.  There’s the sound of footsteps behind them.  

“C’mon Wanda!  I’m coming too!” calls Pietro.  

“You can run there!  I’m taking the car” counters Wanda.  

“I can’t run back with groceries!”  

“Since when do you get groceries?”

Maria hides her smile behind her drink while Nat smiles at her.  They were a family.  


	14. Cuddle Comfort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha coming back early from a long and hard mission and surprising Maria by jumping on her in the middle of the packed helicarrier deck, baby koala hug way. No one was aware of their relationship status. Maria just hold her tightly and doesn't give a fuck about people's opinion.

The only heads up she’d gotten was a text from Barton that it had been a bad one.  Maria had a feeling it would be when she sent them out on the mission and would have sent someone else if she could, but no one knew the players and area like Natasha.  

So when Natasha comes striding towards her on the Carrier’s bridge she isn’t surprised, expecting to be dragged away into her office.  She hadn’t been expecting Natasha to jump on her and latch on but at the feel of tears on her neck has her tightening her hold on her.  

Maria has never had much of a personal life but she doesn’t care who knows of their relationship.  It’ll be a new twist as to how she got her position, she supposes, the old one being that she slept with Fury.  Speaking of which, she was almost certain that Fury knew about them before but if he didn’t, he’s sure to now.  

She’d take Nat to her office, but she has a few last things to finish on another mission.  Calling out orders into her headset and to a few to waiting agents, she wraps up the necessary protocols before handing off the rest to a nearby agent.  Natasha has burrowed her face into her neck and her legs are wrapped around her waist as Maria moves them to her office.  

In her office she doesn’t press for details, she simply rubs her hands up and down Natasha’s back soothingly.  There are of number of things she could say but none of them would be helpful so Maria remains silent.  

“It was….too much.  Too similar to….” starts Natasha, but she gently shushes her.  

“I would have sent anyone else if I could” murmurs Maria in her ear.  She had spent the better part of two days trying to figure out a way to get the mission done without sending in Natasha.  The only alternative would have been a team of six, which made the level of stealth they needed impossible.  But right now none of that matters.  What matters is the tremors that run through Natasha as she sobs silently.  Maria holds her securely against her and rocks her.  

Natasha has told her that her presence helps, and Maria hopes that’s enough.  She’ll talk if she wants to, but what Maria can offer is comfort and the reminder that she’s home.  A home where she’s safe and loved.  


	15. Ultimate Fear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wanda unintentionally looked inside Maria's head and saw her worst fear, and it was a doozy.

It had started as a simple exercise.  Bruce had her using her powers and displaying her reach visually.  He was trying to analyze the ability for some experiment or data gathering to figure out her abilities.  One of her best honed abilities was to see the fears of others, so she was using that to fill the large training room, arcs and waves of red surrounding her and flowing like waves off of her.  What they hadn’t expected was for Maria to enter, looking for Bruce.  Suddenly, all the red power in the room seemed to enter Maria through her temple and the room was empty.  Maria seemed to have no idea that anything had happened, but Wanda rushed outside to get some fresh air and to try and settle her nerves.  

She found herself standing behind Maria in the nightmare.  Maria picks herself up off the bridge of her Helicarrier.  There is a wound in her side that will be the death of her.  Turning around she sees the bodies of fallen agents, the alarms finally noticed.  The Carrier will plummet into the ground in a few minutes.  As it moves through the clouds Maria sees nothing but scorched earth, the signs of a battle lost.  Looking down at the display consoles, the Avengers trackers all look to be offline.  Or that’s what it looks like except that it actually reads no signal, which would make sense for some of them but not all.  Not for Stark who’s signal is hardwired into his suit.  Not for Banner who custom made his tracker so that SHIELD could always find him.  The only reason there would be no signal would be…if they were dead.  Maria swipes at her console to focus on three signals.  Natasha’s, Pietro’s, and….hers.    
Maria’s greatest fear was to have failed to keep the world safe but more than that, to have failed to keep her family safe.  

* * *

Wanda knows that fears can be irrational.  That seeing a person’s fears in no way means that they’ll come true.  That a person’s fears may never come true and may not even be possible.  But it had all felt so very real.  The feeling of the air ship as it fell, the pull of it, the sorrow and regret.  The crippling sadness.  It’s more than she usually feels.  Normally, the people she uses the ability on feel shock or horror or fear.  This?  All of this?  These were the feelings of someone who spent time thinking about her greatest fear.  

Clint had explained the attack on New York and the fall of SHIELD to her and how Maria had been key in making sure that SHIELD survived through both.  Ultron’s attack she knew first hand.  But the devastation from the dream.  Maria had already seen shades of it each time.  Helicarriers falling from the sky, once at her and once with her in it.  The rubble and debris left over from the New York battle.  The aftermath of Sokovia.  All of it, instances where it almost became true.  

“Wanda?  You okay?  You took off— what is it?” asks Maria, her hand on her shoulder.  Wanda starts and turns to look at her, and finds nothing but kindness and concern in Maria’s eyes.  She wraps the woman in a tight hug.  Maria stiffens for a moment, the hug unexpected, but then returns the embrace.  But not for long since Wanda rapidly backs away.  Neither notices Natasha approaching.  

“I didn’t do it on purpose!  I was training with Bruce and–!”  Maria puts her hands on her shoulders and helps her sit down on the steps.  One hand is rubbing her back, but her face is grim.  

“I know, Bruce explained.  As for what you saw… It almost has.  Multiple times” says Maria as she looks away from Natasha’s questioning gaze.  

“Wanda?” asks Natasha.  

“She’s afraid that she’ll let us down.  Everyone” explains Wanda quickly, glaring at Maria.  Maria shakes her head.  

“Not let down.  Fail completely.  To the point where there is no one left to fight.” 

“But you and Natasha are always telling me and Pietro to work as a group!  It won’t happen because it’s not just you.  Not just you that has to carry it all.  There is Fury, and Rogers, and Stark.  Banner, Clint, that man Coulson.  There is Sharon and even Pepper and Victoria Hand.  And us!  Nat and Pietro and me.  You have to remember that it only works as a group too!”  

“That’s not how Second in Command works” says Maria with a sigh.  

“No, it means you lead, but with advice and consultation of those you trust.  We fight as a group but know that we have you watching our backs.  It’s why you’re looped into our comms, so you know what’s going on.  We trust you Maria and know that you’ll turn up just like you did in Sokovia, with exactly the help we need.  And if you don’t or can’t?  We’ll make something work.  But Wanda’s right, it’s not all on you” says Natasha as she rubs the back of Maria’s neck.  

Bruce comes out through the doors of the building.  

“Wanda, you ready for another go?”  

Sharing a look with Natasha and Maria, Wanda heads back up the steps with a nod.  If was going to play any role in making sure Maria’s nightmare never came true, she’d need to learn everything she could about her powers.  


	16. Worried

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha goes MIA for a while and Maria freaks out, Wanda won't speak to anyone but Maria (and Pietro), Pietro runs through 100 pairs of track shoes. When Natasha is found and brought home none of them will leave her side, not even at night.

They are very much a family and when one of them goes missing it effects them all.  

Pietro does what he can for the others, he brings Maria food and makes sure she eats.  Same as he usually does for Wanda when her head hurts with her new powers, like he did when they were little and she worried.  But that only lasts so long.  Then there is just time spent waiting.  When he brings Maria food, she glares at him for the interruption, but he doesn’t care.  He doesn’t leave until half of the meal is gone.  He watches Maria as she looks over the various tablets and consoles in front of her, overseeing various missions in play.  But there are no updates from the on going mission.  Only radio silence.  So he runs.  

He’s covered the perimeter so many times that the repetition holds no comfort anymore.  So he moves towards the woods, and pushes himself through the obstacle courses that the trainees run and then through the ones that Steve has made for him.  He stumbles and ramps into a tree trunk.  Some eager young trainee tried out his course and left it stumbled through.  He’s lucky he didn’t twist or break his ankle.  He makes his way back but with a slight hitch in his step.  One that Wanda notices immediately and scolds him for.  

It’s odd this feeling.  For so long, family had just been the two of them but now two more have been added.  Family is something that as long as they’ve known it has always needed to be protected.  He looked after Wanda and she looked after him.  Then there was Maria and Natasha, who didn’t need their protection but looked after them anyway.  Looked after and cared for them without wanting anything in return.  Despite having brought her fears to the surface, Natasha helped train Wanda and with no hint of malice or aim to seek revenge.  He loves them and waits with Maria for any news of their return.  

* * *

Wanda has stopped speaking.  To anyone but Maria and Pietro but even to them she only utters a few words.  She and Pietro had always wanted a family.  No one could replace their parents, but they’d always wanted to be a part of something again, to have that unconditional love again, someone who cared about their day and cared if they returned.  The orphanages never noticed when they left or when they filtered through again.  

She hadn’t expected to feel this way though.  This frenzy of concern and worry that Natasha might not come back to them.  It used to be enough that she and her brother were safe, that Pietro was even in her line of sight.  From when they were little, as long as they could see each other, they knew they’d be okay.  Once she developed her powers, sight wasn’t needed, she could sense Pietro.  But she can’t sense Natasha.  Maybe it doesn’t mean anything since she can’t sense Maria either.  Not from long distances at least, but she can feel her worry.  Wanda can’t stay in the same building as Maria since at the moment Maria’s worry overwhelms her senses.  

Maria and Natasha create an odd balance with each other.  One worried about her past and the other constantly worried about the future, but with each other they are calm and at ease.  Wanda senses this is no easy feat for either of them.  She had caught a moment between the two, she hadn’t meant to, but she was there.  Natasha was dancing in one of the training rooms and Maria came in and watched for a moment before Natasha turned to her and extended her hand.  Watching the two dance, Natasha laugh as Maria spins her under her arm, the two having fun.  It had reminded her of a family.  Specifically, it reminded her of her parents when they used to cook together in the kitchen.  Then never had much, but cooking dinner was something they had loved to do together, Papa “sampling” and Mama wanting to know how that was different from tasting as she bumped him with her hip.  She had left the two women before they noticed her.  

If she had to pick a parent, it would be Maria.  It wasn’t that Natasha didn’t look after them as well, it was just that Maria would yank her back inside just like she did Pietro when they wanted to go running in what was going to be a thunder storm.  Pietro had whined playfully and Natasha had protested that she didn’t get sick but Maria said that was fine until they both had pneumonia.  It had been sometime since she’d seen her brother this relaxed with other people too. 

Wanda supposes the oddest part is that while she knows that both women are skilled killers, that Natasha is a Russian assassin and that Maria always hits her mark, they make her feel safe and secure even in those moments when the sun is still rising and Natasha is all grumbly and Maria still has bed head.  But they can’t return to that state of things until Natasha comes home.  So she waits.  

* * *

Maria worries.  She always worries.  It’s part of her job to anticipate where things can go wrong.  It’s not the first time Natasha has gone MIA or disabled her tracker, but it’s taking longer to find her.  Usually by now either she or Clint can guess whether or not she’s okay but there was nothing left behind, she simply disappeared without a trace.  It’s not beyond her ability, but usually there’s something by now.  She’s aware that Pietro is going through shoes like kleenex and Wanda isn’t speaking to anyone, she knew before Bruce told her.  Thing is, this is the type of thing Nat would know what to do with.  Maria has no idea.  So she does what she’s supposed to.  She does her job and hopes for good news or a report of  _something_  from Steve and Clint.  

* * *

When Natasha wakes up she’s in the medical wing.  Clint had tracked her down from the signals she had left for him.  She had a concussion, a bullet in her side and a broken arm, but they’d gotten to her before the ambush had.  She knows that it was morning when they landed and that Maria and the twins had been there.  She’d drifted in and out through the day and Maria was always there.  Or was that yesterday?  Had a day passed?  Bruce told her she’d lost a lot of blood and that she was very lucky.  As if she didn’t know that, it being her body and all.  But this is the most lucid she’s been and looking around the room she sees the twins in chairs at the far end of the room and Maria is leaning onto the bed from her seat next to her.  Her neck is going to kill her tomorrow.  

“They haven’t left.  Any of them” says Clint softly.  Natasha blinks at that and looks at them all again.  She feels guilty for making them worry.  Coming back from various missions she’s seen this for others, Laura showing up with Cooper after Budapest, Kevin and Maria showing up for Sharon, Pepper, Rhodey, and Happy for Tony.  But this is the first time it’s ever been for her.  

Her family surrounds her. She is safe, warm, and loved.  Something that she'd never thought possible and only dreamed of.  The feel of Maria's hand around hers though tells her it's real and with that comfort she falls back asleep.  


	17. Ted Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Omg could you write a fic based on the Ted Moseby and Wanda thing you made???
> 
> The post that is being referred to can be found here:
> 
> http://littlesolo.tumblr.com/post/119244897426/ted-mosby-wont-give-up-on-rob-maria-however

Ted Moseby is a dead man.  

Ted won’t let Maria go.  Correction: Ted won’t let  _Robin_  go, but this is too far.  

When Wanda tells Maria and Natasha that she made a friend at the coffee shop, they weren’t worried.  In fact they were glad that she was making friends of her own.  Pietro had taken to spending time with Sam and Clint and Wanda was sometimes left on her own.  Making friends was progress.  

That is until Maria and Natasha are out for coffee with Bobbi and Jemma when they spot Wanda having coffee.  With Ted Moseby.  

“He touches her and he’s dead” growls Natasha, who is currently being pushed back by Bobbi.  Jemma has two hands on Maria’s arm and it’s all that’s keeping her from going for her gun.  

“You can’t kill him in broad daylight” reminds Victoria.  

“That’s why it’ll look like an accident” says Maria as she makes her way over, followed close behind by Natasha.  Bobbi has her phone out and 9-1 dialed.  She’ll hold off to see if the last 1 needs to be dialed but figures it’s a safe bet.  "Erm..Bobbi, what’s happening?” asks Jemma.  

“Violence, probably” answers Bobbi with a shrug.   

“Ted” growls Maria when she reaches Wanda’s side.  Nat’s hand is on Wanda’s shoulder but she doesn’t need her powers to see that something is wrong.  

“Robin!  Fancy meeting you here!” says Ted.  Jemma winces across the room.  Even she can lie better than  _that_.  

“Who’s Robin?” asks Wanda, a question that Bobbi and Jemma are wondering as well.  

“A former cover.  I was undercover protection for Mr. Moseby along with Agent Harris” explains Maria.  

“And fell in love with me!  I still love you Robin!  That’s why I’m here-!” Ted hurriedly explains.  

“I married Agent Harris while undercover to get away from you, Ted.  Agent Harris is bisexual, but his husband was never wild about it.  Once he met you, he understood though” mutters Maria.  Natasha jerks her thumb and Wanda vacates her seat for her.  In the high backed chair makes her glare look all the more intimidating.  

“I understand that you have a family now!  Wanda and her brother!  You know I can be a Dad, I mean I am already!” continues Ted.  

“Where are your children Ted?  And your wife?” questions Natasha.  

“With their Mom.  Traci and I got divorced.  I didn’t love her the way I do Robin” explains Ted, not even looking at Natasha.  

“You what?  Ted, you understand that Robin never existed?  That I liked you for a bit, but the whole romantic side of things was for the sake of the mission?”  

“Great parenting by the way.  From a distance.  Although the kids are probably better off that way” mutters Natasha, earning a dark look from Ted.  

“ ** _But we had sex!_** ” says Ted, entirely too loudly for the coffee shop.  Jemma turns about five shades of red and Bobbi stares into her drink.  

“Everyone has needs, Mr. Moseby.  After all it was an assignment that spanned years” responds Natasha.  Maria is glad to hear Nat say that, but now that she’s with Natasha she’d rather forget that the entire assignment ever existed.  Just like her other undercover assignment as a Canadian pop singer.  

“Go back to your family, Ted-” says Maria with a sigh, suddenly tired.  Ted always was exhausting and she’s just remembering how dealing with him also gave her a headache.  

“But I want a family with you!  I want it all!” exclaims Ted.  He starts to get up from his chair but Natasha kicks him back into his seat with a boot in the middle of his chest.  He shrinks back.  

“I have a family Ted.  A family with Natasha and now Wanda and Pietro.  They’re all I need.  Robin Scherbatsky also has a family.  She’s happily married to Barney.  Go back to yours Ted” says Maria with a sigh.  She then turns to Wanda who has an odd look on her face.  “You okay, kiddo?”  

“I’m still trying to figure out how talking about what book I’m reading and letting him walk me to the park makes someone think they’re fit to be my Dad…” says Wanda.  

“I love you, Rob-” starts Ted, only to be cut off by Natasha.  

“It’s Maria!  And if you come near my family again, it’ll be the last thing you ever do.  Be glad that you picked Wanda though.  Pietro is rather protective and you’d never see him coming” warns Natasha.  

“We are meant to be!” protests Ted.  

“Goodbye Mr. Moseby” says Natasha coldly before leaving her seat.  He gets up to follow them but slams into a red wall.  Natasha throws Wanda a smirk as she catches up with them and Maria hands her her usual coffee order.  Bobbi and Jemma are waiting for them outside.  

“Hmm, no violence.  I’m impressed!” comments Bobbi.  

“Shut up” laughs Maria as Natasha sips at her coffee.  She can never manage without getting whipped cream on the tip of her nose.  Maria smiles and wipes it off with finger and licking it clean.  

“Jemma, Wanda, you may not know this, but the last encounter these two had with Mr. Moseby had Natasha dangling him off a balcony” says Bobbi.  Wanda grins and immediately wants to know everything.  Maria rolls her eyes and begins to explain as they make their way into the park.  


	18. Death Aftershocks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the first time Wanda has to kill someone and the emotional consequences/effects

It’s not her first kill, but it is her first intentional kill.  

One of the reasons Pietro is so protective of her is because he saw her come undone.  He watched as she learned to control her new abilities.  Learning to invade minds.  Being able to see a person’s fear was not all that difficult when fear tends to be the natural reaction to having their mind tampered with.  It was how she learned that she could focus on that emotion and find out what torments a person.  But that had taken time and various attempts.  

At first she couldn’t do it without being connected to the person and when she delved too deeply, it was as if the line was suddenly cut.  Only then was she confronted with the body of a soldier.  Maybe she’d squeezed their mind too tightly, maybe it had been too mentally taxing, maybe being faced with their fear had been too much.  Sometimes blood oozed from their nose, ears, and mouth, a hemorrhage being the cause of death.  Still, the death was often so sudden that it didn’t register until later, when the blood and drag marks on the floor really sank in, that she realized what she’d been doing.  How many she had killed.  It had torn at her and Pietro had been kept in the cell next to hers, forced to listen but unable to help.  

But now, it’s different.  Almost like killing for the first time all over again.  And in a way it is.  This time she was doing it intentionally.  Even in the battle against Ultron or when she had fought against the Avengers, she had been driven by her anger.  

This time, she flung the bodies away from Sam as he struggled to land amidst the gunfire.  Rhodey is doing what he can and Vision is taking on the ones trying to arm the missiles, but they would have killed Sam.  So she flung them.  Again, the actions didn’t register until later.  As they hike back towards the jet, Wanda spots bodies impaled on tree branches.  Tossed and broken against boulders.  It makes her nauseous and Sam catches her as she’s sick.  

* * *

Maria and Natasha sit with her when she gets back to base.  She figures they found out what happened either from Rhodey or Sam or even Pietro.  Pietro has always been able to read her and had stopped as he raced towards her when she got back and altered direction.  He knew she wasn’t speaking and why.  

The relief of having Maria and Natasha as surrogate parents is that unlike most, they can relate to this experience.  Which might explain why they don’t say anything.  

“It was different…  Before I didn’t really know… didn’t realize… my powers overwhelmed me too much for me to understand that I had killed or let me process it.  And then….they were metal men.  Robots.  Not people.  But these were flesh and bone and…blood.”  Her words are hard to find and she struggles to describe what she’s feeling, having to separate it from all the chaos in her mind.  The mental replays, the smell from the gunfire, the screams…  Thankfully, Maria and Natasha seem to know what she’s trying to say.  Maria gives her hot cocoa and Natasha drapes a blanket around her shoulders.  She hopes it gets easier, and Natasha comments that that isn’t always a good thing.  Wanda has a feeling that Maria has helped Natasha with something that haunts her.  

Maria tells her to focus on what she was fighting for.  They fight to keep people safe, to keep the world and sometimes other worlds safe as well.  Natasha mentions that she could go to Bruce, but he’s really not that kind of doctor.  Wanda nudges her playfully and a small smile creeps onto her face.  She feels a bit better and is confident the rest will figure itself out.  


	19. Through the Air

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'We're in so much trouble' -Pietro falls from a height on a mission and Wanda jumps after him. They end up seriously injured.

In Wanda’s defense, she thought she had it.  She thought she could catch Pietro and herself before they landed on the cars.  She just hadn’t taken into account her own panic at…well, falling multiple stories.  

“Really?  Just, dove off the roof?”

The question is asked by Natasha who is in a chair at the end of their beds.  Wanda groans as she stretches and then immediately regrets doing so.  She feels like one big bruise.  

“I thought I had it” says Wanda with a wince.  

“At least you didn’t go through a windshield” complains Pietro.  

“Oh you were falling anyway.  I was trying to keep us from getting hurt” snaps Wanda.  

“Really?  Good job” retorts Pietro.  By now Maria is watching them from the door way.  Pietro is covered in cuts and his legs are broken but Bruce says he’s healing remarkably fast.  Wanda broke her arm and both have concussions in addition to massive bruising.  It doesn’t stop Pietro from flinging a spoonful of jello at his sister though.  Wanda lets out a shriek that has Bruce at the door, but Maria holds up a hand and watches as Wanda reaches for her own food tray to return fire.  

It hadn’t bee hard to tell that something went wrong.  Steve’s stammering over the comms was the first sign.  The fact that he’s always honest didn’t help things.  Natasha had demanded to know how bad they were hurt (having yanked the headset off of Maria’s ear).  Steve had replied “just a little bit” in a less than convincing tone.  

In all honesty, Steve had been afraid to land, given how he was bringing back Maria and Natasha’s kids, because that’s essentially what they were now.  Thankfully, Bruce and the medical team had acted as a barrier, but he had kept his shield handy just in case.  He didn’t expect Natasha to hit him in the hallway hours later as she was going back into the twin’s room.  

“What?  No lecture from the assistant director?” asks Pietro with a grin after the food fight.  

“I think the four story fall was enough to convince you not to do that again, at least until you’re certain you can” replies Maria with a look at Wanda.  “But it’s not like Nat and Clint haven’t jumped off buildings before…” finishes Maria with a sigh.  

“Hey!  I never broke anything!” protests Natasha.  

“No, you just hoped you hit the dumpster and not the concrete.   _So_ much better” retorts Maria.  


	20. A Death Wish For Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'WANDA MAXIMOFF YOU GET BACK HERE RIGHT NOW'

This was a bad idea.  A  _monumentally_  bad idea.  If she’d been thinking, she would have given this part of the plan to Pietro.  But she hadn’t.    
So now she’s fleeing down the hall with Maria Hill’s favorite stuffed creature in her hands.  

Natasha and Maria deserved a night out.  Yes, they were still new parents sort of, but on top of Avenger duties, training them, and running operations, the two had barley any time for themselves.  As much as the twins loved their new family and how they went out of their way to make time for both of them, they deserved some time off.  Which is why Natasha is clearing Maria’s schedule for the rest of today and Pietro is arranging for Maria to have tomorrow off.  

Wanda had stupidly offered to act as the distraction.  Since she didn’t have her brother’s gift of speed, she was using her powers to throw obstacles in Maria’s way.  Unfortunately, she had also forgotten that Maria used to be a field agent.  She’s gaining on her.  The stuffed creature is tucked under her arm as she leaps over the rail and out the front doors of the facility.  

Sam and Steve throw her odd looks as she races by but she hears them move out of Maria’s way as she continues her pursuit.  Natasha’s  _so_  going to owe her for this!  Heading around the corner she barrels into Rhodey and narrowly misses knocking Pepper over too.  She quickly shoves the stuffed creature into her jacket and zips it up.  She’s struggling to get up when a boot lands on her shoulder and pushes her back down.  Maria’s not even breathing hard.  She really has to start taking Steve’s training more seriously.  Maria’s glare brings the phrase if looks could kill, to mind.  

“Maria!  Hi!” says Wanda in her best casual voice.  Maria doesn’t move her boot.  

“ _Gimme!_   Give me Nero and I’ll let you live and not give you latrine duty for the next two months.”  

Wanda hands him over.  

She gets latrine duty for the next month.  Hopefully, Natasha and Pietro are done and it’ll be worth it.  


	21. Vault

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> BlackHill captured together during the mission. "Tell me everything's gonna be alright. Don't get me wrong, I won't believe you. But tell me anyway."

“What’s the point in me saying it if you won’t believe me?” asks Maria.  

“Well, I usually believe you.  This is just the one time I won’t because I’m aware of how throughly fucked we are” explains Natasha.  

Maria let’s out an exasperated sigh.  “We’re going to be fine.”  

“See, that would be easier to believe if you weren’t here with me.  Why are you here and not in a helicarrier safely yelling orders at people?” asks Natasha.  Maria rolls her eyes.  

“Phil maintained he had everything under control.  Which I’m betting he would if Melinda was with him, but I didn’t learn she wasn’t until too late.  I really miss Victoria acting as oversight instead of hiding away in the bunker.  Keep in mind, that’s why we’re going to be fine!”  

“What?”  

“Victoria.  Between her and the Twins, we’ll be out of here in no time” assures Maria.  

“Unless we run out of air first” grumbles Natasha, earning a kick from Maria.  Getting sealed in an old bank vault wasn’t how the mission was supposed to go.  The walls were thick enough to prevent any comms from getting through.  Their best guess?  Bobbi and Clint were going over every inch of the partially crumbled and sunken city and would hopefully find them before the air was gone or the vault tumbled further beneath the ground.  The vault housed several old HYDRA files from after the war and detailed a few of their experiments.  Maria had come across them when she climbed into the abandoned bank which was partially sunken.  It was separate from the other parts or even the tunnels of Paris that connected most sections, but was still remarkably intact.  

“The helicarrier isn’t always the safest you know.  At least the one I’m on never is.  Loki nearly sends it tumbling out of the sky while brainwashed agents attack us during New York, and then a murder bot comes through the front and keeps coming after I shoot it.  Stupid fucker.  Nick killed it with a tablet through the head.  I wanted to do that.”  Natasha bites her lip to hide her smile at Maria pouting over it.  

“So, instead of convincing me you have a stellar plan you want to get my hopes down even more?” says Natasha.  

“Oh, shut up!  It’s not like you and Barton haven’t gotten into worse trouble!”  

“It’s not like this is an elevator in Dubai without power!  We could plummet to the center of the earth!” argues Natasha.  

“Please.  Never read that book.  Started to, but got distracted.  I think I wound up reading War of the Worlds instead” mutters Maria, causing Natasha to turn and look at her incredulously.  

“Really?”  

“Hey the only time I get to read books is when I’m waiting for a hearing.  The only time I read for fun because anything work related would probably be confiscated” grumbles Maria.  Even after Ultron, she’s being pulled before court.  There’s the theory that the Avengers created an evil to justify their presence.  There’s a sound from outside.  Both women reach for their knives, a bullet would only bounce around and kill them all.  Then there’s the sound of something heavy and the vault slides to the side a few feet.  The door opens to reveal Bobbi and Clint, both who look relieved.  Maria starts handing them file boxes.  

“Carefully please.  We get these back home, maybe we figure out what they did to Barnes and can help him when we find him” instructs Maria.  Natasha rolls her eyes but helps quickly unload the files.  Maria has just tossed her the last box when the vault begins to slide again.  The way it’s angled, it’s sliding right out of the building.  Natasha holds her arms out and Maria jumps right into them just as the safe disappears.  The vault then crashes some distance below.  Clint of course goes to have a look and lets out a whistle.  The ground gave way as well and has Natasha stumbling backwards and nearly colliding with Bobbi to avoid falling over.  Letting Maria down, they grab the boxes and get the hell out of there.  


	22. A Plea Kept Secret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Please... please, just kill me... I beg you..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Samuel comes from watching THE BABADOOK for the nth time. Love that kid. The Babadook is his ability.

They’d found her.  Maria was all bruised and bloodied with part of her leg still buried under the rubble of the partially collapsed cell.  

Maria had gone missing two weeks ago.  Natasha had only gotten really worried after the first week.  They’d all dropped off the map at various times, Clint to see his family, Bruce to be alone, Tony to work on his stuff, herself to sort out her thoughts and shed her cover personas.  After a week though, she started pestering Phil and touching base with Fury.  

No one had heard anything from Maria.  

They were used to each other’s busy work schedules, but not to be in touch with anyone, not even Sharon just to check in with Aunt Peggy made Nat nervous.  Clint agreed and once they located Steve and told him, he was also suspicious.  Phil had waved off their concerns, saying he had enough he was dealing with and that Maria could take care of herself.  Natasha knew that but would rather hear Maria growl that at her over the radio. 

Maria had been caught up in something while she was away.  Or maybe that’s why she’d left, someone had called in a favor.  It looked like someone had been in need of help and Maria always looked out for others.  They found a seven year old boy in the hotel room she’d paid for in cash.  Apparently, she’d also paid for room service to drop off meals so he was fine, but Maria wasn’t there.  Similar to the way that Wanda could draw out someone’s fears, the boy, Samuel, seemed to bring them to life.  Natasha had the boy transported to the Avengers facility, and it finally gave Wanda and Pietro something to do besides wear paths into the floor.  Samuel was worried about Maria too.  “She said she’d be back.”  Natasha knew that Maria probably meant it, there’s no way she’d lie to a frightened child and leave him alone for days.  

Then it was a matter of finding out who had been after Samuel to use him a weapon.  That led them to a HYDRA base.  Or what was left of one.  Steve figures that with Samuel, they might have gotten enough people interested to get the site running again.  But Natasha doesn’t care.  Samuel is safe, it’s Maria who is still missing.  

It would seem that rather than let SHIELD see their data, they’d rather start over, which is why they started blowing things up once they’d arrived.  They split up and Natasha finds Maria in a cell in the basements, partly covered in rubble.  When Natasha gets closer she can see that they’d worked Maria over.  

“Maria?  Come on sweetheart, I’m going to need your help to get you out of here” says Natasha as she tries to coax her towards wakefulness.  She’s already let the others know, and Steve is calling for Wanda and Pietro who’ve been on stand by with Sharon since they found a location.  

“Please… please, just kill me… I beg you…” murmurs Maria and it sends a shiver down Natasha’s spine.  Maria is one of those who never gives up, never stops fighting.  Natasha curls around her and presses her head next to hers as they wait for the others and medical.  

“You’re not allowed to do this you know” whispers Natasha.  “You’re supposed to be somewhere by a phone and ready to pull my ass out of the fire when I get in too much trouble.  Or Bobbi or Sharon.  Melinda too, but she’s got Coulson now.  And what about the little ones?  Wanda and Pietro?  You have to let me and Clint teach them how to screw up properly so that you getting them out is at least a bit of a challenge.”  The words are meant to keep Maria awake and reassure her.  But this has been a fear of Natasha’s ever since HYDRA emerged.  Ever since she saw Maria’s name at the top of their threat list.  Not Steve or Tony, but Maria.  The list had popped up and Natasha had glanced at it for a moment before starting to upload SHIELD files, but that was long enough.  

Having Maria captive in a HYDRA base?  There was a good chance that the only reason they hadn’t killed her yet was to use her as bait to get them all at once.  The sounds echoing through the basement paint a picture of an aggressive battle.  At the sound of footsteps Natasha gently kisses Maria’s forehead and sets her down.  Picking up her weapons again, she takes out the first three soldiers through the doorway.  

_Secure the prisoner for transport!_

It’s the last order given before Natasha kills them.  Three more come in but under the grip of a red glow and are slammed into the ceiling.  Spotting Wanda, Natasha goes back to Maria’s side.  She’s barely coherent, but holding on.  Wanda lifts the rubble and Pietro gets her out of there.  

* * *

They discover a data dot when Maria is back in medical.  It’s storing a portion of HYDRA’s experiment and location files.  It’s one of Tony’s new inventions and about the size of a contact lens.  Maybe it remotely collected data or someone was stupid enough to let Maria close enough to the server room.  Hell, maybe she attached it to someone.  Afterwards though, Maria had shoved it into one of her open wounds for safe keeping.  A bullet wound in her thigh, which may have caused the infection that now has her with a fever and making her recovery that much harder.  Tony’s kicking himself for not thinking of the data dot since he could have tracked her through it.  

Wanda and Pietro are there almost as often as Natasha is.  They also provide updates on Samuel.  When Maria wakes up, Wanda tells her that she’s taught Samuel some control over his ability.  Maria tells her that she thought Wanda would be able to help him.  

It takes some time, but soon Maria is back at work.  Granted it’s from her bed at their apartment, but she’s getting there.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don’t like the ending but couldn’t figure a good way to do it
> 
> Also- on tumblr I'm littlesolo so if you think of a prompt, feel free to submit it!


	23. Netflix Promise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Look at me. Just look at me and stay awake. Can you do that?" - Wanda or Pietro get hurt when on an assignment with Natasha or Maria

“Hey.  Hey!  Look at me. Just look at me and stay awake. Can you do that?” asks Natasha as Clint drives.  They’re still being shot at and Natasha is doing her best to stop the bleeding as they careen across the landscape.  

“Nag, nag, nag.  I am looking and staying awake only because you are _nagging_!” mutters Pietro.  Natasha rolls her eyes and bites back a smile.  Even with bullet wounds, Pietro can’t help himself.  “How mad is Mama Maria going to be?”

“Don’t even go there.  Hopefully, Dr. Cho will use her machine and Maria won’t ever know” tosses back Clint.  Having been on the receiving end of both, he knows there’s nothing scarier than Mama Bear Maria Hill or Mom Natasha.  

“She’ll know” answers Natasha and Pietro.  “She always knows” continues Natasha, adding pressure to one of the wounds.  

“You tell Wanda-” 

“Oh no, no way, not doing this Pietro, you’re going to be fine” growls Natasha as she glares at him.  

“Tell Wanda she can’t watch ahead in our Netflix just because I’m in medical” whispers Pietro, his breathing becoming a bit labored but they’re closing in on the jet.  “She’ll want to watch to distract.  Not our show…”  Natasha lets out a slight laugh as they transport him to the jet.  

“Yeah?  What show?  Pietro?  Pietro!  What show are you two watching?” pushes Nat.  

“Harper’s Island.  Maria suggested it” answers Pietro, opening his eyes again.  

“Oh…..That’s a good one”

“No spoilers!  Don’t let her watch without me!  Promise!”

“I promise, P.  I promise” assures Natasha as a breathing mask is placed over his face.  Natasha will make sure too.  Harper’s Island was something she and Maria had been told about by Laura and had enjoyed every second of it.  All Pietro had to do was hold on.  Then he’d be able to watch with his sister while he recovered.  


	24. Mental Warfare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wanda gets really hurt on a mission, like could possibly die hurt, and Natasha and Maria refuse to leave her side

Phil had assured Maria that Wanda wouldn’t be in harms way.  Maria had still said no, but Phil had done what he thought was best.  There was no way to know that there would be another telepath, much less one more skilled.  And with a vicious streak.  

Phil was now on a stretcher in a separate part of the medial ward.  It had taken Thor and Steve to pull her off the now one handed director of SHIELD.  

To hear Melinda and Bobbi tell it, the onslaught had been sudden.  They hadn’t been expecting a fight, but Maria could have told Phil to expect one.  In fact she had which was why she hadn’t wanted Wanda to be a part of it.  Too many unknowns.  HYDRA operatives were still at large and some of the people that had been experiments had heard about Phil and had come to him for help.  Maria had told him to let Bobbi or Melinda (or anyone else really) handle the subject of “indexing”.  She would have avoided it altogether but she would want to be as honest as she could with them.  Phil’s approach, well, Phil’s a nice guy and came across as such but when he talked about indexing… he sounded a bit flippant.  

According to Bobbi, that approach is what started everything.  What it sounds like is trading being one groups unwilling experiments for being the willing subjects of a group who smiled at you.  Not the greatest trade.  

Melinda explained that it had quickly erupted into a brawl.  Wanda had been holding her own but then everything had stopped when Wanda let out a horrified scream.  Bobbi had scanned the room and spotted the other telepath and went after her with everything.  Wanda’s eyes had gone wide and she let out a gasp as her nose started to bleed and then she’d simply collapsed.  Then she had started to violently convulse.  Melinda had gotten her out of there with Lance’s help while Mack kept Bobbi from killing the telepath.  Not that Maria would have minded.  

Natasha had been out with Laura with the kids at the park.  Laura saw Natasha’s face go pale and had assumed something had happened to Maria.  She’d driven them straight back, Natasha silent the entire way.  Now Natasha waits with Maria.  

Wanda had continued to convulse but by the time they got her to the tower she had gone still, blood leaking from her ears and nose now.  Brain hemorrhaging, according to Bruce.  But Wanda somehow had put up a barrier in her mind at the last second.  It was probably instinctual, something she’d have to remember to be able to learn to do it again, but it had probably saved her life.  The best he could explain was that the mental barrier acted like a memory foam mattress and had taken the brunt of the attack.  Still, damage had been done and the best they could do was wait and see if Wanda woke up.  

Clint was there too and stayed in the seating area but got up when Natasha came to update them.  Or rather report the lack of one.  Laura had backed up fast when one of the med staff told her them that the telepath was in ICU but stable.  Natasha looked ready to finish the job and it was only Clint holding her back that stopped her.  She’d then collapsed into Clint in tears.  

They wait.  Wanda has periodic seizures but their frequency is lessening.  Bruce seems to think that may be a sign that Wanda is healing herself, that she’s getting better.  Maria and Natasha don’t even consider the other possibility.  Bruce is afraid to tell them that after four days, Wanda may not get better.  

It’s two weeks since the attack when Wanda opens her eyes.  She sees empty coffee cups on the small table in the room.  That much tells her she’s been here a while and they haven’t left.  Maria is sitting uncomfortably in a chair with her hand holding one of Wanda’s.  Natasha has moved her chair as close to Maria’s as she can.  She is curled up for the most part in her own chair, but her head rests in Maria’s lap and both are asleep.  She doesn’t know what to do with this feeling.  This warmth that fills her chest.  Pietro is all she ever had but Maria and Natasha are practically their parents now.  Pietro is off on assignment with Sharon in Cambodia and hard to reach, otherwise he would be here.  She knows Maria and Natasha would have told him and he’d have run the entire way back if he had to, only to pace in the hallway and drive everyone crazy.  The thought makes her smile.  But she has family here too.  Waiting for her.  Time to wake them up.  

She squeezes Maria’s hand.  


	25. Pietro Cat Comforts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pietro is a bit like a cat. He won't ever ask for affection, he'll just give off signals and act like it was a complete coincidence when he ends up with his head on someone's lap, having his hair played with.

He reminds Natasha of Liho in that way.  She and Maria really take note of it when Wanda is having trouble and her powers are getting the better of her.  Which is why Bruce is back.  Clint had been the one sent to retrieve him and had gone into his his big brother mode and given Bruce the rundown on how Natasha was happy with Maria and her new family with Pietro and Wanda, so there wasn’t as much awkwardness.  After all, Bruce was here to help Wanda.  

Pietro’s hair used to be black.  

It is still what his mother would call a “mess of Romani curls” but it was now mostly white on top.  

A bit of it had turned white when he had gotten his powers through the scepter, giving him a salt and pepper look that was still mostly black, the power from it being overwhelming and almost too much, but he and his sister had been the only two not to be killed from the process.  

What had turned a majority of his hair it’s now silvery white color was his sister.  He had watched as she had come into and developed her powers.  Listening from behind the walls of his cell as she came undone, all but losing as her mind as a red glow entered her eyes.  They had been in simple metal cells but at the sound of her screams he nearly went mad himself in his efforts to get to her.  

They were all they had and it had always been this way, or at least had been since their parents were killed.  He was the oldest though, and despite Wanda’s opinion that he was the one who needed more looking after, it was his duty to protect her.  

No.  Duty was the wrong word.  It was the least he could do for volunteering to be a test subject.  They had both wanted to fight somehow, but it was his eagerness that committed them and he knew that even if she didn’t want to be an experiment, she would never have left him.  SHIELD or HYDRA, it hadn’t mattered, he had felt it was their chance.  By the time they saw the others beginning to die, it was too late.  There had been some whose body’s couldn’t cope with the new abilities developing in them, even an instance where it had literally blown a poor soul apart.  It wasn’t the first time he’d been given pause, but it was the moment where the he knew that he haste may get them killed.  Wanda had seen it happen too, having been at Pietro’s side, as always.  She stopped speaking for three days.  

When the telekinesis and red glows began to develop is when he would guess his hair continued to change.  

He had thought the red glow that encircled her had been hurting her, her screams tearing through him like a knife.  She had put her hand up to stop him, still looking out for him amid her pain, but a blast had had flown from her hand and struck his hand as he reached for her.  It had sent him reeling and severly burned his palm but he hadn’t cared.  He had pushed himself, doing everything he could to get to his sister despite the three guards trying to hold him back.  It had taken another three to stop him, his powers first beginning to show and propelling him forward against their hold.  

Wanda had been horrified that she’d hurt him, and just like when they were young, she refused to meet his eyes out of shame for a few days.  Pietro hadn’t cared, even when it turned out that his hand would need a bandage of some sort at all times, the damage making his palm too sensitive.  He’d been too relieved that his sister was alright.  

As her powers grew it became clear that she had trouble controlling them.  Pietro is almost positive that most of his hair turned silvery white while he listened to his sisters screams and worried that all her abilities would do was tear her apart. 

He watched as she began to control her powers, learning to make blasts, invade minds, find a person’s fears.  If she ever searched his mind for what he feared, he didn’t mind.  It was no secret that it would be living without his sister.  The way Wanda’s emotions effected her abilities always had him doing his best to hide a grin.  Every time he accidentally hurt himself while pushing his limits or gaining too much momentum and being unable to stop, there would be a small red burst of power from Wanda.  Before they knew how fast he healed, he’d been unable to come to a complete stop and stumbled over his feet, crashing into the unforgiving wall and blood had poured down his forehead from a gash.  He’d laughed at his own clumsiness but when a red glow caused various monitors to explode, he’d laughed harder and turned to see Wanda glaring at him.  

As her big brother he always tried to look after his sister.  It was… again, duty is the wrong word.  It is simply what family does.  But Wanda has always been smarter and stronger than he is and he knows this.  It makes him proud actually.  Not to say that he’s stupid, but he knows his impulsive nature has gotten him into trouble more than once and every time his sister managed to get him out of it.  Whether it was getting arrested for being a bit too enthusiastic with his protesting, or letting his temper get the better of him and getting into a fight he couldn’t win.  Mama would say that he got it from Papa and Papa would raise an eyebrow and say that  _he_  had never started a bar fight.  Mama would just roll her eyes at him.  He missed those little things about his parents, the shared looks, the stories they shared but could never agree on how thinks had actually happened.  Now though he sees similar moments between Maria and Natasha.  The playful glare Maria gives her when Natasha complains about paperwork, Natasha’s nervousness whenever Maria is injured.  Seeing Natasha wearing Maria’s clothes, usually the ones that Maria has just spent an hour looking for.  The two women have made them part of their family, something that he and Wanda had always wanted but were afraid to hope for.  

At the moment he goes between shadowing Maria and lingering around Natasha.  Wanda is doing her best and is now working with Bruce but he still worries.  He may not have telepathic abilities, but he can sense the tension between Banner and Nat.  Well, it really comes off of Bruce, Natasha is happy with Maria, she has said as much.  He hadn’t meant to listen but he’d been mostly asleep on the couch as Natasha reassured Maria in the kitchen area.  Still, it does little to help settle his nerves.  

* * *

Natasha isn’t sure what to do with the cat like twin.  He’s moody with the others but almost skittish around her and Maria.  Natasha can’t help but feel a relieved when she comes home and finds Maria reading with one hand and the other rubbing soothing motions up and down Pietro’s back.  He looks like a ball of nervous energy that is close to combusting, but his hand calmly strokes Liho’s back.  Later his head is resting on Natasha’s lap as they stare at the tv.  Neither are really watching but it keeps the room from being silent and letting their worries mount.  She can relate to his nervousness though and is glad she can help.  Pietro seems to know that he needs something, but isn't sure what and doesn't know how to go about finding it.  She was like that once.  Between Maria and Clint and Laura, she's getting better at it though.  Maria seems to know when Natasha needs her even before Natasha does and well, Laura?  Well she's a Mom.  

Wanda returns later exhausted, but looking better.  More settled.  The tenseness leaves his shoulders and he seems to breathe easier.  Bruce has talked to him about being over protective.  It’s one of the reasons Pietro doesn’t like him.  Is it such a bad thing to be protective of your family, especially when you feel you’re the reason she needs protecting?  He doesn’t understand at all.  But Natasha seems to and told Bruce to back off with the most threatening glare he’d ever seen.  

Natasha and Maria are the only ones who know the story behind his hair and hand, aside from Wanda, but he doesn’t mind the code name Quicksilver or the various other nicknames Clint comes up with him.  


	26. Cat Like Comfort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maria and Natasha taking care of the twins when they're sick and then Wanda and Pietro looking after Maria + Natasha after they catch their illness

Natasha has scars.  Scars that have stories.  Not all have stories though since sometimes she returns with bullets or knife wounds that she never recalled getting.  

This…. well this isn’t as lethal a wound she’s gotten in combat but she will definitely have memory of it.  

 _No running in the house_  goes without saying when it comes to Pietro but Maria and Natasha are sitting curled together in a recliner when he zooms pasts and tosses Wanda on the couch only to proceed towards the bathroom.  Questions are necessary when they hear his retching.  Wanda looks a bit green that clashes with the red she wears.  Natasha peers at her and then vaults off of Maria’s lap and races with Wanda to the sink as she’s sick as well.  Natasha manages to hold Wanda’s hair back as she empties her stomach but Wanda is sneezing as she’s sick.  Natasha would laugh if Wanda didn’t look so miserable. 

Maria is in the bathroom with Pietro, applying a cool cloth to his forehead and rubbing it down the back of his neck as he sweats through his shirt in between spells.  

* * *

For a long time, both Maria and Natasha had felt happiness, the type that people shared with each other, was beyond them.  They had their little families, Maria with Sharon and Kevin and Natasha with Clint and Laura, but it wasn’t the same.  Then they found each other and the Twins found them.  Although they has always wanted a family of their own it was one of those things that always seemed like a far away dream.  

Now that they had a family of their own though, their reservations surfaced, especially at times like these.  Maria was unsure how to be a good mother.  It wasn’t as if her Father had been any sort of role model except for the type of parent she never wanted to be.  She was also so used to taking care of herself that she always felt unsure when providing comfort.  It was one thing to provide young agents with a support and kind encouragement, but Wanda and Pietro were family and meant a great deal to her, so she hoped her words conveyed more than the “attaboy” she’d give young agents.  

Natasha was afraid that she’d ruin them.  She knew how to comfort, she’d done that enough with both Clint and Steve, but mothering frightened her.  She could say for certain that what the instructors had provided them with hadn’t been mothering.  But she’d watched Laura with her children and Laura said she was doing fine, which calmed her nerves some.  There had been a time where Natasha had thought herself capable of nothing but violence, mental warfare being just as damaging as physical blows at times.  Since coming to SHIELD she learned she could help train others and now she helped Wanda contain hers.  Still, that was a far cry from offering comfort after nightmares.  She’d learned to stop having nightmares when she was twelve, the tactics Red Room used to discourage them being much more frightening.  Well, not really stopped but learned to wake from them as silently as possible so as not to disturb others with her screaming or tears.  Now she tended to wake with sweat pouring off her and her heart trying to beat out of her chest.  No matter how quiet she was though, Maria always seemed to know and did her best comfort her- the other woman’s presence was usually enough to calm her.  

But dealing with two sick kids at the same time?  Nothing could have prepared either of them for that.  

* * *

“Id’s his fault” complains Wanda as she grabs another handful of tissues for her runny nose.  

“Her fault!  You always get me sick too!” retorts Pietro as he weakly throws a pillow at her.  

“Alright!  Enough you two!” orders Maria as she comes over with more tissues for Wanda who was surrounded.  One side held a tissue box and the other a bowl just in case.  At her feet sat a waste basket with the remains of two tissue boxes flowing over the sides.  Pietro is bundled in blankets and is holding the stuffed creature Maria gave him to his chest.  His fever hasn’t broken yet but he refuses to move.  Not out of concern for his sister, but because he hurts too much to try and he was there first.  

* * *

They don’t deserve this.  They took care of Wanda and Pietro and got them healthy again.  Natasha even made soup!  With Maria’s help of course.  Now Laura was was confident they’d be back on their feet in no time.  Both only believe this mainly due to the fact that the Twins are following Laura’s instructions.  

Maria and Natasha are currently squashed in the recliner. Not cuddling this time, simply refusing to share the comfy chair.  Natasha can’t shove Maria because that may lead to being covered in spew and Maria has to keep a tissue box at hand since Nat’s nose is dripping down her face.  It’s very crowded with the bowl in their laps.  However they aren’t up to fighting and the last time it had resulted in Pietro picking Nat up and Wanda using her powers to move Maria to the couch.  They may be sick but the power of their glares is still just as fierce even though their sick.  Sadly, the Twins are unmoved.  They also learned despite being behind a desk for a while, Maria is still very much in shape and Pietro is the only one who can keep up when she rushes for the nearest sink.  


	27. What Rubs Off

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'You're so much like your mom'

As usual, Steve had meant it as a compliment, his words directed at Wanda, but Laura sees the sliver of fear in Natasha’s eyes.  Looking at Maria, she knows she saw it too.  

Maria knows that Steve was taking about Wanda’s ability to read people, Natasha has taught her well and she no longer needs to rely on her telepathy to read a room.  

But Natasha knows what she is, what her skills are, what she’s best at.  According to Nick, Maria, and Clint, she’s a good teacher but she worries what else Wanda and Pietro pick up on.  Steve says she’s “not that person anymore” but he doesn’t understand.  Her ledger isn’t simply a way to remind herself of “who she was” it is a way for her to know how far she is from making amends for her actions.  

Maria understands and for that she is thankful.  Maria and Clint both know how far she’s come and how hard it’s been for her.  Maria seems to have a sixth sense and is able to know when Natasha is trouble.  She was never some unhinged assassin, a weapon with a hair trigger.  She had simply been a woman with a set of skills who had grown tired of running and had run out of options.  

She also knows that Steve is right, to a certain extent.  She is no longer a little girl too afraid to not follow orders.  She’s also not a teenager who has become immune to the violence she inflicts and deaf to the cries and pleas thrown her way.  And she isn’t a woman continuously looking over her shoulder.  She is now a woman who is part of a family and has one of her own, something she had never imagined for herself.  

Yes, she does things like help Wanda with combat training so that she doesn’t have to rely solely on her powers, and tries to work with Pietro on his impulse control and strategy but Maria is better at that.  Maria is teaching him that speed is one thing, but to be able to fool enemies into thinking that there are more people present than just him, takes skill and careful maneuvering in addition to his speed.  But Natasha looks after them, brings the Twins and Maria vatrushkis from her favorite place.  

Her worries though come from wondering what else the Twins pick up from her.  For Wanda to learn to read a room is one thing, but Natasha knows she’s skilled at manipulating people and hopes that Wanda doesn’t learn that from her.  There are times when manipulation is necessary, like when you’re in a tight spot on a mission.  Still Natasha can’t help but remember the names in her ledger who she manipulated to their breaking points and to their deaths.  The Maximoffs are not so young that she worries about accidentally harming them physically, but….she still worries because she knows there are other ways.  

Maria is the one who makes sure that Natasha sees the Twins having fun with the others.  Laughing with Clint’s kids, Lila teaching Wanda to make a flower chain, Cooper on Pietro’s shoulders.  They look freer and happier than they’ve been in a long time.  Maria reminds her that she’s part of the reason for that.  The reason two people who thought they’d only ever have each other are now happy and loved by a new family, a family that Natasha is part of.  And to that Natasha can only smile as she burrows into Maria’s side.  


	28. Family Above All

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maria and Natasha get kidnapped during a mission and Pietro and Wanda sneak out and are reckless trying to find them because they lost one set of parents they refuse to lose another. When someone tells Natasha and Maria how reckless they were they get in trouble.

They’re waiting.  There isn’t much else to do.  They were captured almost a week ago and beaten and interrogated.  Her own wounds have already healed for the most part, the wounds looking like stitches as the skin seals around them.  Maria heals at a normal rate though and is still too injured to move so Natasha holds her close and is wary of every sound she hears.  She will not let any more harm come to her lover.  

There are times when Wanda’s mind overwhelms her, there is so much.  Her mind has expanded in ways with her powers, she feels everything, every sound, every goose bump, every smell, all heightened.  She struggles to learn to control it all, taking what she can from Bruce and Natasha in terms of advice.  But this is too much.  It feels like history repeating itself and that is too much for her mind to grasp.  Sitting between Bobbi and Jemma with Melinda keeping watch, she murmurs to herself that she’s not crazy although a part of her wishes that she was.  It feels as if she is.  That this is all some form of mental torture or a crazed delusion.  She lost her parents once, nearly lost her brother, she can’t go through this again.

Pietro is in a similar state and restless.  He started by checking in with Fury, who has taken charge of the search for them, but can’t bring himself to anymore.  To go for updates he must pass Maria’s console station and without her there… it unsettles him.  There is no small assassin to tell him to leave Maria to her work, but then again there is no Commander working to keep them all safe.  This time it’s them that are in danger.  

* * *

Phil Coulson is making a nuisance of himself.  He wants to know what is going on an in on the rescue.  Nick Fury dismisses him.  He is the Director of SHIELD, the Avengers are none of his concern, Nick Fury is who they trust.  But that is not why the Twins don’t like Coulson.  The fact that he does not trust them doesn’t help, he’s told his team to be careful and cautious around them.  Bobbi Morse and Jemma Simmons have ignored this as well as Melinda and Skye, but Lance and Fitz don’t hesitate in giving them the stink eye when ever they see them.  

But that isn’t it either.  

No, there’s a different reason for their hate and it grips them like rage takes hold of the Hulk.  Phil had known that Maria and Natasha were targets.  Targets of a few “elite” HYDRA soldiers.  Phil hadn’t taken the threat seriously and for that their parents were missing.  Part of this they overhear and another part is guessed at by the guilty expression Phil is sure to hide around Fury.  It makes Wand suspicious enough to break her promise to Fury and Rogers to not invade minds.  When she finds out that Coulson was preoccupied with dealing with setting up his new review board and all, the blast of her powers breaks every window on that floor of the building.  Bobbi covers Jemma from the shattering glass and Lance who had been running towards Phil, is thrown a good thirty feet.  It’s Clint’s hand on Pietro’s arm and Wanda’s shoulder that keep them from killing Phil and Hunter.  Lance had been tasked with monitoring their surveillance.  Instead he had been fuming about Bobbi’s new relationship with Jemma.  Phil had been thrown too and when the two men try to get up Wanda doesn’t hesitate to throw them against the wall, but only hard enough to knock the wind out of them.  

Nick Fury along as Steve demand to know what is going on and when Wanda explains, it takes both Nick and Steve holding Pietro to keep him from killing Coulson and Hunter.  Wanda, Wanda is just so tired all of a sudden.  Of all people, it’s Tony Stark who leads them away, a gentle look on his face.  It strikes them as almost surreal since the last time their parents had been killed, they had blamed him.  Fury’s voice booms but it’s only white noise to their ears.  Hunter cowers but when he meets Bobbi’s eyes as she and Jemma go to the Twins, her disgust is clear for all to see.  

* * *

At least they’re feeding them.  Nothing more than bread, cheese, and water, but it’s helping Maria get her strength back slowly.  Maria’s wounds are finally beginning to heal but the electrical burn around her right arm still worries her.  Natasha knows Maria would never break but that’s not what they wanted anyway.  They made Natasha listen to her screams as they continued to ask where the Maximoff twins were.  But neither would ever tell them anything, especially about family.  

* * *

To Steve and the other’s credit, they really did try to keep it from them.  But Natasha had taught both Wanda and Pietro stealth.  The moment they hear of a possible location, they find Clint and are in the air five minutes later.  

They storm in, not listening to Clint when he tells them to wait.  They know what to expect, this “breed” of HYDRA soldier had been a work in progress when HYDRA last had them.  Still, they are no match for Pietro’s speed or Wanda’s powers.  Clint covers them from behind, watches as rush in with a blind fury.  He knows all they’ve lost and wants Nat and Maria back too.  From his perch all he can do is keep them from being shot from snipers, but Wanda’s powers seem to be doing a good job of taking care of the bullets too.  Those two are in for a long chat after all of this, from him and Laura and no doubt from Maria and Nat too.  

* * *

Natasha places herself in front of Maria when the gunfire starts.  There isn’t much in the cell but she’ll use what she has.  Scooping up a handful of dirt to use as a smoke screen when they come through the door, Natasha stands braced and ready.  She didn’t need to.  The red wave that sends the soldiers slamming into the wall after yanking their guns from their hands leaves little doubt as to who has come to their rescue.  Still, Natasha glares.  Wanda isn’t minding the structure of the building, isn’t being careful to avoid causing a cave in.  Looking into her eyes Natasha sees rage but also relief once it registers who she’s looking at.  Pietro zooms up behind her, almost gliding through the doorway, relief clear on his face too.  It’s short lived however when they catch sight of Maria behind her.  

* * *

Even from her bed in medical, Maria’s glare is powerful.  At full force, as it is now, it’s worse than Fury’s.  Coupled with Natasha’s next to her and Clint and Laura’s from the doorway, the Twins would rather face Fury actually.  

“What were you two thinking?” asks Maria.  Maria doesn’t give them a chance to answer.  “You weren’t thinking.  Either of you.  Because we’ve taught you better.  We taught you to go in with support.  Clear it as a team.  Not reckless chaos!”  

“We can’t lose anymore family” says Pietro softly, looking up at her though the hair that’s fallen into his eyes.  Wanda has her arms wrapped tightly around herself.  Maria’s face softens.  

“Yes but once you knew the others had a location, you knew they’d come for us.  We’re here and we’ll get better but it wouldn’t be worth it if you two hadn’t been able to take them, hadn’t made it out two” answers Maria just as softly.  

“We know why they had you too.  I…..saw it in Coulson’s mind.  He didn’t even tell May or Hunter” says Wanda.  Maria wants to reproach them for it, be angry, but she knows that she or Natasha would have done the same if they could have.  She can tell by the slight smirk on Nat’s face that she’s thinking the same thing:  _they’ve taught them too well_.  She knows Fury's dealing with Phil, but also that Phil probably figured the two of them could take care of themselves.  What he hadn't considered was who was looking out for the Twins and for that she can't forgive him.  Maria pats the edge of the bed and the two race over and wrap her in a gentle hug, minding her still healing wounds.  Pietro yanks Natasha into it too, who makes a face at it.  It gets a laugh from Clint and Laura who are glad to see their friends back in one piece and the family all together again.  


	29. Greek God Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Did you just call me Athena?"

“Athena’s the Greek goddess of war, strategy, and wisdom. The mentor of heroes. The armed warrior goddess” says Natasha as she flops into the chair across from Maria in the lounge.   
Maria stops massaging her temples and lifts her head to quirk an eyebrow at Natasha.

“So what does that make the rest of you? Well, minus Thor, we know exactly what god he is. And Phil? Because he is not Ares. Ares is all power and strength and Phil has those but not in a way that lives up to the name, hell I’m not sure I live up to mine” says Maria before focusing on her work again for a bit.

Natasha stays quiet to the fact that Athena, despite her family, had never had true love or someone to simply care for her and that it was thought she’d never fall in love. What little Natasha knows of Maria’s past, she knew that would hit too close to home.

“Fine, Phil’s Hercules then. A Demi-god having lived despite being struck down by Loki, but what about me?” asks Natasha.

“Struck down?”

“Greek god talk! And you’re evading” says Natasha.

“Well, I’m sure as hell not calling you Nike” starts Maria.

“Thank you, I think I’m better than an owl even if he stood for victory” replies Natasha with a smirk.

“Artemisia” answers Maria. Natasha makes a face as she tries to remember the name.

“She was Persian!”

“She was Greek and raised Persian, but ignoring the fact that she helped wipe out the Spartans and Greeks, she was an Admiral in the Persian Royal Navy known for her tactics” explains Maria.

“Oh yeah? How’d she die?” asks Natasha, only partially sure she wants to know the truth.

“Old age. There are records of her grandchildren but she retired and fades from history” answers Maria with a grin.

“So, the goddess of war and wisdom and her cunning warrior. SHIELD can’t lose, right?”

“I still don’t know about all that…”

“She was an armed warrior Maria. What makes so many of us respect you is that you stand for SHIELD the way it was supposed to be, and are willing to fight by our sides for it. You more than proved that when SHIELD fell. What keeps us going is that you keep on fighting even though most feel all hope for SHIELD is gone.

So, what’s the plan Athena?”


	30. Long Over Due

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barcelona no longer offers them the respite it once did. However on the sands of a beach in the Maldives, they are as anonymous as anyone else.

Barcelona no longer offers them the respite it once did. However on the sands of a beach in the Maldives, they are as anonymous as anyone else. Stretched beside each other and listening to the waves, the sand between their toes, and the sun is bright and warm enough to keep all their demons at bay. A vacation is exactly what they needed.  

Maria is taken in by all the exposed skin, but every so often Maria catches Natasha’s fingers rubbing the scar on her stomach.  Maria catches her hand and stills her movements.  

“We’re here to relax” says Maria gently.  Natasha gives her a small smile, but she knows Maria’s thoughts can’t help but drift to mistakes they had made, missions gone wrong, things of that nature.  It’s all the silence, the time to think with no pending objectives.  Time to dwell.  But they try.  The scenery is a good distraction and the bed is hard to leave and not because it feels like a cloud it’s so soft.  

But not even during a vacation are they the same as everyone else.  The Conrad Maldives Rangali Island was a recommendation from Victoria and Pepper and they were enjoying it so far.  It was the type of place that issued it’s guests an ipod to communicate with the staff for in room dining, which is what they prefer.  It’s not that there weren’t good restaurants, it was just…. the undersea restaurant, while amazing made them both a bit uneasy.  Exotic fish was one thing, but in a gun fight neither of them would enjoy a water death when bullets pierced and broke the glass.  There was the “quiet zone”, which was an opened tented lounge area on the beach, but while peaceful also seemed a bit too open and exposed to attack.  After so many years in their jobs, it was simply how their minds worked now.  

On a whim, Maria had picked a Retreat Water Villa.  It offered a mini gym and two massage beds in addition to having it’s own spa treatment room.  Positioned over the water, it made a quick escape doable if necessary.  They venture out on one of the yachts, Natasha ready to take the helm but Maria proves to be better at it than she is.  They stop at a sandbank and have the chilled lemon cheesecake and berry salad that they brought with them.  When they move onto the sliced fruit Natasha can’t help it.  Maria has been tempting her in her blue two piece and she finally gives in.  They get rid of the sand that seems to have gotten in everywhere later when they share a soak in the tub in their room later.  

Some time after that, Maria orders the Hyderabadi chicken biryani and Natasha indulges in the Kashmiri lamb rogan gosh.  It’s almost unsettling how relaxed they get.  No pending missions and no disasters to manage.  They do get a call from Victoria telling them she’s extended their vacation for another two days and that they’re not to come home before.  Maria laughs, looking more relaxed than Natasha has ever seen her.  Natasha just shrugs.  “It saves me having to do it.  Bonus being that it’s on SI’s tab.”  They forego a lobster and champagne dinner that the resort offers them and hit one of the restaurants, Natasha having lost her taste in lobster since every time she’s had seafood with Clint and Laura, the little ones insist on naming all the lobsters.  She couldn’t go and eat “Danny the Lobster” now could she?  Maria laughs at this and grabs her hand as she turns them toward the one that has Mediterranean a la carte dining.  

They spend enough time on the beach and in the water that Steve comments on their tans when they get back.  Natasha forgot what a good swimmer Maria is and has to remind herself to keep up.  Maria surrounded by tropical fish is breath taking but it isn’t the fish that hold her interest.  

When they finally leave, they’re sad to go, which is a first for both of them.  Usually after a week of down time they’re feeling restless to get back into things but not this time.  They’re greeted by Pietro and Wanda the moment they get off the jet and pulled in for hugs.  The vacation had been the Twin’s idea but it was nice to know that they’d been missed.  Next time maybe they’ll take them with them.  A coin flip will have to determine whether it’ll be to Barcelona or to the Maldives though.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This wandered and got away from me.  
> Based on a real location though: http://conradhotels3.hilton.com/en/hotels/maldives/conrad-maldives-rangali-island-MLEHICI/accommodations/K1PFO.html
> 
> Not in smut writing mood-- tried but nothing...


	31. Friends and Family a Dream Realized

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Shhh baby it's okay, it's alright -Nat hold her down- just relax for us baby" - Wanda has a breakdown

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Switched it to a nightmare? Without meaning to, but I hope it works...

Wanda’s abilities have expanded what her mind is capable of.  But it makes her hypersensitive.  It also doesn’t mean that Phil can use her like some high tech truth serum on those they capture or that Bruce can push her trying to figure out how her power work.  Now she is trapped in a nightmare of some sort.  

Pietro isn’t here but even if he was there’s no way of know if his presence would help her.  

Pietro has his own demons.  They’d shown their face after Tony had been testing a bunch of new weapons.  That had been fine.  It was the thunder storm later that night, with booms so loud it shook the windows that had him refusing to come out from Maria’s desk in the study.  It had reminded him of the shelling and had him rushing for cover.  When Maria and Natasha find him he refuse to let them go, trapped in reliving losing his parents again, but also desperate for them to call and check on Wanda.  

This is different.  Maria would guess that all of the tests Bruce has been doing in addition to her training have her reliving a bit of HYDRA.  She trusts the people and the circumstances are different, but the tests aren’t.  There are still blood draws and mental tests and physical ones that push her to her limits while already mentally overloaded.  And there’s no telling what she’s seen while helping Phil but it can only add to her nightmares.  Melinda and Bobbi keep them informed, much to Phil’s displeasure, and recently the leads they’ve been following have been especially dark and involved more experimentation.  

Wanda is gripped in either a nightmare or a mental load that she can’t handle and it sent her tumbling off the couch.  Natasha and Maria become aware of it when Wanda violently kicks out at the small table next to it and sends it crashing into the wall.  Wanda is clutching at her head but then her fingers move down the back of her neck and start tearing at, making it bleed.  Maria grabs her hands and tries to keep her from hurting herself, but Wanda whimpers and bucks against her hold.  

“Shhh it’s okay, it’s alright -Nat hold her down- just relax for us sweetie.”  Natasha is doing her best to keep from causing any harm to her, but Wanda nearly bucks her off.  It doesn’t matter since seconds later a burst of energy comes from around Wanda, throwing them both back.  Maria has the wind knocked out of her, being thrown against the wall and Natasha is thrown at a chair.  Both are on their feet in seconds and trying to get back to Wanda’s side, but wave after wave come off her, even if they aren’t all as strong.  Sharing a look, Maria and Natasha lunge at her and try to wake her up.  Despite the use of her powers, Wanda remains trapped.  Her eyes snap open and both Maria and Nat jolt a bit, but Natasha holds her hand up to still Maria.  Wanda is looking at them but not seeing them.  

The door bursts open and Bruce comes rushing in followed by Melinda and Bobbi.  

“We heard a crash!” says Bruce as he moves towards them but Natasha motions him back.  

“Get out!  You’re the last person she needs right now!” hisses Natasha.  Bruce s lost for wards and beyond confused, but thankfully Melinda gets it.  

“A doctor will most likely scare her further into her nightmare” says Melinda with a hand on his arm.  Bruce stiffens, feeling guilty and that there should be some way he can help.  Some how he’s still a monster, the cause of nightmares.  He hadn’t realized… hadn’t meant for this to…

Wanda’s eyes lock on him and they can’t be sure what she sees but what ever it was has her squeezing her eyes tightly shut and whimpering louder.  

“Out NOW, Banner!  That’s an order!” barks Maria and Wanda curls into a ball but scoots closer to Maria and Natasha, as if looking for protection.  Melinda leads Bruce out and Bobbi drops down next to them.  

“How can I help?”

Wanda’s burning up and Natasha is combing her hair back from her face as Maria rubs her back.  

“A damp cloth?  Maybe one for her neck and another for her face” suggest Natasha.  Bobbi nods and goes to get them.  They stay with her all night.  

* * *

In the morning, Wanda wakes up, exhausted but relieved to see Maria and Natasha.  

“Every thing okay?” asks Wanda as she stretches a bit.  Maria raises an eyebrow but smiles at her as she moves her hair back.  Natasha snorts out a small laugh.  

“Why don’t you tell us?  How are you feeling?” asks Nat.  Wanda stills and thinks back.  

“I had a nightmare…” says Wanda as she remembers and then pulls the sheet up over her head with a frustrated groan.  “How bad was it?”  

“We’ve seen worse” answers Natasha with a shrug and a grin.  

“My brother and I are causing you trouble even in our sleep” groans Wanda.  Natasha gives the sheet a tug.  

“Please, Maria has had to deal with Tony and the others for years.  This is nothing” assures Nat.  

“And you and Barton…” adds Maria giving Natasha a good natured poke.  Wanda sighs and rubs at her face but gives them a small smile.  

“So I’m thinking Denny’s for breakfast?” says Natasha after a moment.  In the living room, Wanda finds Bobbi and Jemma.  Jemma gives her a hug and so does Bobbi and then they’re off to breakfast.  

* * *

Wanda sighs contentedly as she waits for her scrambled eggs and bacon.  Pietro hadn’t been there when she’d woken up but Maria had asked if she wanted to call him before they left.  She almost did, but decided  she didn’t need to because despite whatever nightmare she had, she had woken up happy and safe and with family.  They have a family now.  And friends that cared about her too.  It’s all they’d ever wanted.  Why worry him?  Maybe when he came home from his mission with Sam and Clint, they’d go out for breakfast like this again.  


	32. Miscommunication

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If you still take fic requests can you possibly do one of Maria and Nat reacting to the twins calling them 'Mom' for the first time?

“ _The Moms are fighting_.”  It’s what Pietro and Wanda tell Laura when they video chat with her.  It is also what Clint tells Maria and Nat later.  Something has Maria and Natasha fighting.  The Twins don’t know what it’s about, but it’s…disconcerting.  Sure, they’ve seen them fight but this is a loud and door slamming fight.  

When they say “The Moms” they don’t mean as if they are really their parents, they’re too close in age for that.  But Maria and Natasha are who they trust without question, who to they go to with their fears, and who have made sure their transition easier.  Maria did become their legal guardian when they joined the Avengers, to ward off any attempts by the government or military to imprison them.  Much in the same way that Fury protected Natasha when she joined SHIELD.  And there are moments where Natasha and Maria remind them of their parents, those little moments between them.  They are their family now, but it’s not why they call them “the Moms”.  

Maria and Natasha are the mother hens of sorts to the Avengers.  Natasha scolds as she bandages wounds on the jet after battle and Maria hauls your ass back to medical when you think you’re fine despite the blood and broken bones.  They aren’t the only ones, there’s Pepper and Laura too, and in her own way, Victoria, but it’s Maria and Natasha who look after the Twins the most.  

* * *

It started with Natasha storming into Maria’s study, followed by silence.  

“You lied to me” growls Maria.  Natasha paces back and forth.  She knows Maria is waiting for an answer.  With her anger, she falters and falls into old habits.  

“Of course I lied!  It’s what I was trained- I’m a spy!  It’s practically instinct!” tosses of Natasha.  

“Don’t…  _don’t,_   **DON’T**  do that!  We’ve come past this!  We trust each other!”  The fact that they love each other goes unsaid.  

“Come off it, Maria!  You know there are  _lists_  of things you don’t tell me!” throws back Natasha.  

“Ask me anything you want to know, and I’ll tell you!”  

The situation is actually all Coulson’s fault.  Melinda made Maria aware and Bobbi told Natasha.  Eager to find the HYDRA soldiers and scientists that were still out there, as well as any other groups, Phil had wanted to use the Twins as bait.  He wanted to lure out possible threats while promising no actual harm would come to them, trusting the Avengers at the new facility would keep them safe as well as his own tea,.  Natasha wasn’t about to let that happen.  Maria wasn’t just concerned about the plan (which she was putting an end to in no uncertain terms) but isn’t going to send the message that their agents are expendable.  And Phil should know better, know that Maria wouldn’t allow to happen to anyone, especially her family.  However, she’s so caught up in trying to undo Phil’s little plan that she forgot to mention it to Natasha.  Natasha on the other hand, was trying to keep it off of Maria’s desk, knowing she had enough on her plate.  So yes, she had lied to Maria when she had asked if something was up.  

The Twins are unaware of the threat to them, but they know something is wrong, which is why they go to Laura.  Laura sends Clint to find out what’s wrong.  The two women have been a sense of stability and source of support for the Twins, and it’s not just that they’re fighting but that they don’t know how to help.  

* * *

“So you were both looking out for the scamps and just didn’t know it.  But it’s not like she was in any danger this time.  The worst?  Phil gets his ass kicked by both of you” says Clint with a shrug.  Phil’s being alive had been a shock, but not as much as seeing how much he’d changed.  Whether it was being killed by Loki, the fall of SHIELD, Ward being a traitor, HYDRA in general, or the other SHIELD and debacle with the Inhumans, he was not the same man they had known.  

There’s a knock on the door frame and Natasha and Clint to see Maria standing there, looking exhausted.  

“I’ll leave you two to talk” says Clint as he slides off the edge of the table and heads towards the door.  

“Clint, how did you hear?” asks Maria.  Clint shrugs again.  He’s good at that, making it seem like things aren’t bad or not a big deal but not being flippant about the elephant in the room either.  It diffuses the room, but both women are more tired than angry.  

“The Twins called Laura.  Said the Moms were fighting.”  Nat smirks and Maria gapes for a moment before hiding a smile.  

“Tell them we’re figuring things out, will you?”  Clint gives them a nod and heads on out.  

“So…” starts Maria.  

They both say their sorry at the same time and laugh.  

“So what are we going to do about Phil?” starts Natasha.  

“I think Melinda said she’d handle it but…” says Maria as she rubs her forehead.  

“She told you?  Bobbi told me”  

“So I’m betting he has his hands full.  Let’s go add to it” says Maria as she extends her hand to Natasha.  Natasha takes it with a grin.  


	33. Asking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A sequel to one of your Age of Ultron stories where Lila asks Natasha when she and Maria are getting married that shows her proposing to Maria?

“Why are we in the barn?” asks Maria as she follows Natasha in.  They’re at the farm to visit Laura and the little ones and for a little time off.  

Things have been a bit hectic with the New Avengers and getting things going at the facility.  But at the moment, all that is the furthest thing from Maria’s mind because Natasha has been acting….off.  The kind of off that has Maria shooting questioning looks to Clint and Laura.  Clint scratches his head and offers her a shrug that has her wanting to hit him.  Laura offers her a sympathetic look but has little more to offer.  Hopefully, Natasha is going to enlighten her soon because she’s getting worried.  Because Natasha is pacing nervously and that is something she doesn’t do unless some one is in medical.  

“Maria… we have a good thing… I mean we’re good together… and I…” starts Natasha.  

“ARE YOU GOING TO ASK HER?” calls a small voice from the hay loft.  Both Natasha and Maria turn to see Lila scurrying down the ladder and then right over to Maria’s arms.  Maria lifts her and rests her against her hip.  

“What’s Natasha going to ask me?” says Maria as she smiles at the little girl.  

“Can’t tell!  It’s a secret” whispers Lila as she burrows her head into Maria’s neck.  She’s peeking at Natasha though with a grin.  

Natasha is blushing but smiling back, her gaze shifting between the two.  

“Ask her or somebody else is gonna!” states Lila with a nod, her arms around Maria’s neck.  That brings Natasha up short.  

“What?!  Who?” asks Natasha, a confused and panicked look on her face.  

“Cooper.  He likes her because she’s pretty and is teaching him to box” replies Lila with a nod and a pointed look.  Maria is hiding a smile behind Lila’s head and Natasha is letting out a relieved breath that has Maria holding back a laugh.  

“So does everyone know what this is about except me?”  

“No.  Up until now, I thought I was keeping it a secret” answers Natasha as she scratches at her neck.  

“So are you going to ask me or should I go talk to Cooper?”

“Maria…… would you do me the honor…. would you…. would you marry me?” stammers Natasha.  When she looks  up, she see Maria smiling at her.  

“You’re gonna say yes, right?” whispers Lila in Maria’s ear.  

“Yeah, I’m going to say yes” answers Maria in a stage whisper.  

“Wait!” says Lila as she kicks to be let down.  Then she runs over to Natasha’s side and she kneels down so that she can be whispered to.  “You have a ring, right?”  Natasha digs into her pocket and pulls out a ring box.  Seeing as how she’s already kneeling, Natasha opens the box and shows the simple ring to Maria.  Lila is standing behind Nat, bouncing with excitement.  Slipping the ring on Maria’s finger is a little harder than expected since her hands are shaking, but she manages.  Maria kisses her and then they trail after Lila who is off to share the news.  

“HEY COOPER, GUESS WHAT!”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not my best…. might give this another go later….


End file.
